flotsam

flot·sam (fl

a. Wreckage or cargo that remains afloat after a ship has sunk.

b. Floating refuse or debris.

2. Discarded odds and ends.

3. Vagrant, usually destitute people.

[Anglo-Norman floteson, from Old French floter, to float, of Germanic origin; see pleu- in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: In maritime law, flotsam applies to wreckage or cargo left floating on the sea after a shipwreck. Jetsam applies to cargo or equipment thrown overboard from a ship in distress and either sunk or washed ashore. The common phrase flotsam and jetsam is now used loosely to describe any objects found floating or washed ashore.

flotsam [ˈflɒtsəm]

1. (Transport / Nautical Terms) wreckage from a ship found floating Compare jetsam [1] lagan

2. useless or discarded objects; odds and ends (esp in the phrase flotsam and jetsam)

3. vagrants

[from Anglo-French floteson, from floter to float]

flotsam

material floating on the sea, especially debris or goods from ship-wrecks. Cf. jetsam.

Mentioned in	?		References in classic literature	?		Dictionary browser	?		Full browser	?
cast up collapse conversation flotage garbage jetsam jetsom junk lagan Physical Appearance reject rubbish ships wreckage			And clear across to the Atlantic, the Junta in touch with them all and all of them needing guns, mere adventurers, soldiers of fortune, bandits, disgruntled American union men, socialists, anarchists, rough-necks, Mexican exiles, peons escaped from bondage, whipped miners from the bull-pens of Coeur d'Alene and Colorado who desired only the more vindictively to fight--all the flotsam and jetsam of wild spirits from the madly complicated modern world. The Night-Born by London, Jack View in context I found some of it hard to endure, though I am a mild-tempered man; but, certainly, when I told the captain to "shut up" I had forgotten that I was merely a bit of human flotsam, cut off from my resources and with my fare unpaid; a mere casual dependant on the bounty, or speculative enterprise, of the ship. The Island of Doctor Moreau by Wells, H.G. View in context Financiers and promoters, and all the flotsam and jetsam of the sea of speculation surged upon the shores of his eleven millions. Burning Daylight by London, Jack View in context			Floscularian Floscule Flosculous Flosh floss Floss hole floss silk Floss thread Flossification flossy Flota flotage Flotant flotation flotation bags flotation collar flotation device Flotation process flotation tank Flote flote grass flotel Flotery flotilla Flotow flotsam Flotten FLOTUS flounce flounced flouncing flounder flour flour beetle flour bin Flour bolt Flour box flour corn Flour dredge Flour dresser flour mill flour mite flour moth flour weevil floured flourish Flourisher flourishing Flourishingly floury flout			flotation therapy flotations flotations flotations flotations FLOTC Flote Flöte Flöte flote grass Flotel flotels Flotery FLOTI flotilla flotilla flotilla Flotilla Commander Flotilla Enrollment Date Flotilla Inspection Training Readiness Exercise Program Flotilla Staff Officer Flotilla Vice Commander flotillas flotillas FLOTM Flötner, Peter Flotow Flotow Flotow, Friedrich von FLOTOX flotsam Flotsam and jetsam Flotsam and jetsam Flotsam and jetsam Flotsam and jetsam Flotsam and jetsam flotsam, jetsam, and ligan flotsam, jetsam, and ligan flotsam, jetsam, and ligan flotsam, jetsam, and ligan Flotsams Flotsams Flotsams Flotsams Flott Flottement libre Flotten FLOTUS FLOTUS FLOUE flounce flounce flounce flounce flounce in flounce out flounced flounced flounces flounces flounces

flotsam playV2('en/US/d7/d7dsd3sjsysydssghn');playV2('en/UK/d7/d7dsd3sjsysydssghn')

flotsam