c. 1600, from Anglo-French floteson, from Old French flotaison "a floating" (Modern French flottaison), from floter "to float, set afloat" (of Germanic origin; see flotilla) + -aison, from Latin -ation(em). Spelled flotsen in English till mid-19c. when it altered, perhaps under influence of many English words in -some. Folk-etymologized in dialect as floatsome.
In British law, flotsam are goods found floating on the sea as a consequence of a shipwreck or action of wind or waves; jetsam are things cast out of a ship in danger of being wrecked, and afterward washed ashore, or things cast ashore by the sailors. Whatever sinks is lagan. Flotsam and jetsam figuratively for "odds and ends" is attested by 1861.
雙語例句
1. The water was full of flotsam and refuse.
水里漂滿了垃圾和廢物。
來自柯林斯例句
2. He was another of the city's flotsam.
他是這個城市里又一個流浪者。
來自柯林斯例句
3. The beaches are wide and filled with interesting flotsam and jetsam .
海灘寬闊，到處是有趣的被沖上岸的零碎雜物。
來自《權威詞典》
4. Sick and starving refugees are the flotsam and jetsam of war.
生病和饑餓的難民是遭戰禍而流離失所的苦命人.
來自《現代英漢綜合大詞典》
5. You know the difference between flotsam and jetsam?