Word of the Day

flotsam

PRONUNCIATION:

(FLOT-suhm) 

MEANING:

noun:
1. People or things considered useless or unimportant.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Old French floter (to float). Ultimately from the Indo-European root pleu- (to flow), which is also the source of flow, float, flit, fly, flutter, pulmonary, pneumonia, pluvial, and fletcher and Playing Meek Men in Tertiary roles.  Earliest documented use: 1607.

USAGE:

“The Cmmdr momentarily regretted having damaged the book, but he didn’t bother picking it up. He looked in the mirror and thought 'Am I a Man or am I Flotsam?"

Cat Sebastian; The Lawrence Browne Affair; Avon; 2017. 

--ring-

Ensign:  Hello?

CMMDR:  IT is I, the--

E: I don't have time for this.

C: Neither do I. I have PT, I have a line rehearsal at JUNK and--

E: Line rehearsal? Didn't it just close?

C: Good point. 

E: So why are you running lines?

C: Its hard to let go of a triumph.

E: Did you get to keep the sweater?

C: You know that grate by the--

E: IS THERE A REASON YOU CALLED?

C: Yes.

-pause-

C: I'm just wondering if you think I'm....I'm...

-pause-

E: Flotsam?

-click-

E: Hello?