skid

plural skids

1. An out-of-control sliding motion as would result from applying the brakes too hard in a car or other vehicle.

   Near-synonyms: wheelslide, sideslip

   2 more examples

   Just before hitting the guardrail the driver regained control and pulled out of the skid.

   The brakes grabbed and the car went into a skid.

   Synonyms: skidding, wheelslide, sideslip

2. A shoe or clog, as of iron, attached to a chain, and placed under the wheel of a wagon to prevent its turning when descending a steep hill.

   Synonyms: drag, skidpan

3. broadlyA hook attached to a chain, used for the same purpose.
4. A piece of timber or other material used as a support, or to receive pressure.

   One by one big blanket pieces of blubber were rafted from the water and hauled up the skids and into the try-works.

   1961, Tom Mead, Killers of Eden, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 41

   1. A runner of a sled.

      In the hours before daylight he sharpened the skids and tightened the lashings to prepare for the long dogsled journey.

   2. A ski-shaped runner or supporting surface as found on a helicopter or other aircraft in place of wheels.

      Due to frequent arctic travel, the plane was equipped with long skids for snow and ice landings.

   3. A basic platform for the storage and transport of goods, machinery or equipment, later developed into the pallet.

      He unloaded six skids of boxes from the truck.

   4. A pallet.
   5. One of a pair of horizontal rails or timbers for supporting anything, such as a boat or barrel.

      His head was away up in the shadows of lifeboats that stood on skids above the deck.

      1897, Joseph Conrad, Niger of the Narcissus

      1 more example

      If the boat had been further out, we could not get to work at the wheel without beaching her further up; or either dry docking her or putting her on skids.

      1882, New York Court of Appeals

5. aeronauticsA banked sideslip where the aircraft's nose is yawed towards the low wing, often due to excessive rudder input.
6. hobbiesA losing streak.

   The team snapped a 3-game skid with a win over their biggest rival.

present singular third person skids · participle present skidding · participle past skidded · past skidded

1. intransitive(of a wheel, sled runner, or vehicle tracks) To slide along the ground, without the rotary motion that wheels or tracks would normally have.
2. intransitiveTo slide in an uncontrolled manner as in a car with the brakes applied too hard, the wheels sliding with limited spinning.

   They skidded around the corner and accelerated up the street.

3. intransitivetransitiveaeronauticsTo operate an aircraft in a banked sideslip with the nose yawed towards the low wing.

   Because of the jammed ailerons, the pilot had to use careful rudder inputs to skid his plane in order to turn it so he could get lined up with the runway.

   1 more example

   Don't use excessive rudder when turning, especially at low airspeed, as this causes your plane to skid through the turn, which can cause you to very rapidly enter a spin if the inner wing stalls.

4. transitiveTo protect or support with a skid or skids.
5. transitiveTo cause to move on skids.
6. transitiveTo check or halt (wagon wheels, etc.) with a skid.

   The horses stopped to breathe again, and the guard got down to skid the wheel for the descent, and open the coach-door to let the passengers in

   1859, Charles Dickens, “The Mail”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book I (Recalled to Life), page 4

plural skids

1. InternetA stepchild.

plural skids

1. InternetA script kiddie.

   […] it is something that differentiates an elite hacker from skids (script kiddies).

   2022, Anas Zakir, Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics, page 105

present singular third person skids · participle present skidding · participle past skidded · past skidded

1. InternetTo steal or copy, especially computer code.

plural skids

1. UKobsoleteslangA sovereign (old coin).