Jetsam

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Jetsam \Jet"sam\, Jetson \Jet"son\, n. [F. jeter to throw: cf.
     OF. getaison a throwing. Cf. {Flotsam}, {Jettison}.]
     1. (Mar. Law) Goods which sink when cast into the sea, and
        remain under water; -- distinguished from {flotsam}, goods
        which float, and {ligan} (or {lagan}), goods which are
        sunk attached to a buoy.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The act of throwing objects from a ship to lighten the
        load; jettison[1]. See {Jettison}, 1.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Hence: Anything thrown overboard from a ship, whether
        floating or not.
        [PJC]
  
     4. Hence: [fig.] Objects scattered about in a disorderly
        manner; as, he couldn't find his sneakers among the jetsam
        in his room. [Colloq.]
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  jetsam
       n 1: the part of a ship's equipment or cargo that is thrown
            overboard to lighten the load in a storm
       2: the floating wreckage of a ship [syn: {flotsam}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  19 Moby Thesaurus words for "jetsam":
     castaway, castoff, derelict, discard, dogie, flotsam,
     flotsam and jetsam, foundling, junk, lagan, orphan, refuse, reject,
     rubbish, trash, waif, waifs and strays, wastrel, wreckage