jet
Definitions
A high-speed stream of liquid or gas forced through a small opening.
（液体或气体的）喷流；喷射
A nozzle that emits such a stream.
喷嘴；喷口
A jet engine; an aircraft powered by jet engines.
喷气发动机；喷气式飞机
A hard glossy black material (a form of fossilized wood) used in jewelry.
煤玉；黑玉（首饰用宝石）
To travel by jet aircraft, especially fast or far.
乘喷气式飞机（快速/远途）旅行
To spray or shoot out in a forceful stream.
喷出；喷射
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedjet is a worn-down form of the ject root. From L. jactare ('to throw repeatedly,' frequentative of jacere) through Old French jeter ('to throw, cast'). The original «throwing» image stayed in every modern meaning: a jet of water is forcefully thrown out, a jet engine throws hot gases backward to propel itself forward, a jet plane is named after that engine. NOTE: the «black gemstone» sense is a homonym from Greek Gagates (a place name) — not from ject.
Root ject still carries 54 more wordsWhy It Means This
Jet is one of the most successful members of the ject family because the throwing image is so vivid. The 16th-century English jet meant simply 'a spurt' or 'a forceful spout.' Then 20th-century aviation seized the image: a jet engine «throws» hot exhaust gases backward, and the plane it powers became a «jet.» From this, English coined a whole productive set: jet lag (fatigue from rapid jet travel), jet stream (high-altitude wind river), jet-set (people who fly often). All retain the speed-and-projection feeling. The homonymous «jet» (black gemstone) comes from an entirely different word (Greek Gagates) and is unrelated.
Usage Guide
- Stream (physical/neutral): 'a jet of water,' 'a jet of flame'
- Aviation (technical/informal): 'a jet engine,' 'I caught the morning jet to Tokyo'
- Verb (modern, informal): 'They jet off to Paris every winter' — implies speed and lifestyle
- Compounds: jet lag, jet stream, jet-set, jet-black (color reference to the gem)
- Gem (jewelry-specific): «jet black» as a color comes from the gemstone — a separate etymology
Example Sentences
- 1.
A jet of water shot up from the broken pipe.
- 2.
The fighter jet flew low over the city.
- 3.
They jetted off to Bali for the weekend.
- 4.
Jet engines work by expelling hot gases at high speed.