jettison
/'dʤetisn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To throw or drop (something) from an aircraft, ship, or other vehicle, especially to lighten it in an emergency: The core meaning involves discarding items overboard from a moving vehicle to ensure safety or improve performance.
- To discard or abandon (something) as unwanted or burdensome: This figurative meaning extends to getting rid of any idea, plan, or possession that is seen as a hindrance.
Examples of Usage
Literal (from a vehicle):
- The crew had to jettison the cargo to keep the plane from crashing.
- The captain ordered them to jettison the fuel tanks to reduce weight.
Figurative (to discard something):
- The company decided to jettison its old marketing strategy.
- We need to jettison these outdated rules if we want to progress.
Advanced Usage
"to jettison something overboard": to throw something from a ship into the water.
- During the storm, they had to jettison several containers overboard.
Used in a strategic or business context: To describe abandoning a failing project or non-essential element.
- The startup had to jettison its secondary product line to focus on its core business.
Variants and Related Words
Jettisonable (adj): Designed to be thrown overboard or discarded.
- The aircraft has jettisonable external fuel pods.
Jettisoning (n): The act or process of jettisoning.
- The jettisoning of the cargo saved the vessel.
Synonyms
- Discard: To get rid of something that is no longer useful or desirable.
- Dump: To get rid of something unwanted, especially quickly or carelessly.
- Shed: To allow something to fall off; to get rid of a burden or responsibility.
- Eject: To force or throw something out, typically in a sudden way.
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Jettison" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically contained within the single verb.)
Related Idioms
- "To throw overboard": This idiom is a close synonym for the literal meaning of jettison.
- Figuratively, the board threw the CEO's proposal overboard.
Verb
- throw as from an airplane
- throw away, of something encumbering