What does jettison mean?
Word: Jettison
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Jettison means to get rid of something you no longer want, such as cargo dropped from a ship or plane to make it lighter.
Synonyms: discard, dump, abandon
Antonyms: keep, retain
Word origin: Came into English through Old French from Latin jactare.
How do you spell jettison?
Syllables: jet - ti - son
Tricky part: One t is the usual slip. The word doubles it straight after the opening vowel.
Watch out for: jetison, gettison
Memory tip: A jet has two wings; let them stand for the two t letters.
Jettison in a sentence
Example 1: The balloonists jettisoned their sandbags to rise above the hills.
Example 2: The team jettisoned its old plan and started the project afresh.
Example 3: Sailors may jettison heavy crates to keep a ship steady in rough seas.
Fun Fact
Rockets jettison their empty stages during a launch, so that the rest of the craft is lighter and can climb faster.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
jetti___
a) zon
b) sen
c) sun
d) son
Show answer
d) son. The ending looks just like the one in poison.
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
Jettison goes back to the Latin verb jactare. What does jactare mean?
a) to carry
b) to throw
c) to steer
d) to float
Show answer
b) to throw. Cargo that is jettisoned is, quite simply, thrown away.
Word Champ
In which option are the given words arranged in alphabetical order?
1. jetty 2. jettison 3. jetsam 4. jewel
a) 3124
b) 3241
c) 2314
d) 3214
Show answer
d) 3214. Jetsam has s where the next two have t, jettison beats jetty at the fifth letter, and jewel has w after the e.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
tnoijest
a) to guide a plane down on to a runway
b) to lighten a load by letting things go
c) to paint a boat before a long race
d) to repair a ship's engine out at sea
Show answer
b) to lighten a load by letting things go. The letters make a verb used for plans as well as for heavy loads.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A club that jettisons its old logo has ____.
a) stopped using it
b) sold it to a rival
c) printed it again
d) made it larger
Show answer
a) stopped using it
2. A hiker decides to jettison a heavy pan from his rucksack. What happens to the pan?
a) He leaves it behind.
b) He cooks lunch in it.
c) He buys a second one.
d) He packs it deeper.
Show answer
a) He leaves it behind.
