jettison English · revision 2184

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɛtɪsn̩/ ''(UK)''; /ˈdʒɛt.ə.s(ə)n/, /ˈdʒɛt.ə.z(ə)n/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|jetteson|t=the throwing of goods overboard]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[bor|xno|getteson]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from Old French ''getaison'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[der|la-lat|iactātiō|t=a throwing]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''iactāre'' “to throw, toss about”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|ine-pro|*ye-|t=to throw, impel]].^(Etymonline) The same Middle English word developed into [[jetsam]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As a noun, the action of throwing goods overboard, especially to lighten a ship in distress (1425).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old noun had turned into ''jetsam'', which came to mean the goods thrown overboard;^(Etymonline) in the 18th century marine-insurance writers restored the earlier form ''jettison'' for the act of throwing them, so as to have an unambiguous word.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) The verb, “to throw overboard”, followed in 1848.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It was extended figuratively to discarding anything burdensome (the noun so from 1887),^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) and to dropping things from aircraft (1934) and spacecraft.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1425 – noun, the throwing of goods overboard.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1848 – verb, to throw cargo overboard.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1887 – figurative use of the noun.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1934 – verb, to drop from an aircraft in flight.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1962 – verb, to fall away from an aircraft or spacecraft.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To throw cargo or equipment overboard, or drop it from an aircraft or spacecraft, to lighten or stabilize it.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To discard something as unwanted or burdensome.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of casting goods overboard to lighten a vessel or aircraft.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Jetsam.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[jettisonable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[jetsam]]

+ * [[jet]]

+ * [[flotsam]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}