What does skid mean?
Skid most often describes the sudden sideways movement of a vehicle or wheel when traction is lost, as on ice, in rain, or during hard braking. The word can also refer to the marks or traces left by such a movement, especially the dark skid marks often seen on roads. In older and figurative contexts, a skid is a device that prevents a wheel from turning or helps stop a vehicle, while the plural 'skids' can mean the brakes. Figuratively, being 'on the skids' means being in decline, and 'hitting the skids' means entering a rapid deterioration. As a verb, skid describes a vehicle or object sliding sideways, often with a sense of loss of control. The word is common in both formal descriptions of road accidents and informal discussion of driving, safety, and financial or professional decline.
A sudden sideways sliding movement, especially of a vehicle or wheel that has lost traction; also a mark left by such a slide. By extension, a skid can be a braking device, and the figurative plural 'skids' can mean the brakes or a condition of decline.
"The police found skid marks stretching across the road."
The device sense is chiefly associated with older and literary usage, although the idioms 'put the skids on' and 'hit the skids' remain common in informal English.
To slide sideways or move uncontrollably, especially because a wheel or other surface has lost traction.
"The bicycle skidded across the gravel as the cyclist turned."
The verb is usually intransitive and commonly describes vehicles, wheels, or people moving unexpectedly across a surface.
The plural is common in the expressions 'put the skids on' and 'hit the skids'; it can also refer to multiple braking devices or wheel stops.
"The driver put the skids on just before the barrier."
A skid mark is the visible signature of lost traction—and, figuratively, 'hitting the skids' means entering a rapid decline.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does skid come from?
The word comes through Middle English from Old Norse skíð, meaning a wooden runner or sled. The modern sense developed from the older idea of a shoe or device placed beneath a wheel to stop its movement, and the verb sense came to describe the resulting sliding motion. The English word is related to ski, which comes from the same Old Norse origin.
Related word forms
How skid is actually used
The noun and verb are informal in some figurative uses, especially 'put the skids on' and 'hit the skids.' In vehicle-related contexts, 'skid' usually suggests a sideways slide caused by insufficient traction or abrupt braking.
Easily confused with skid
A skid is a sideways sliding movement, especially of a vehicle, whereas a slip is a broader term for losing footing, balance, or grip.
A ski is equipment worn or used for gliding over snow, while a skid is the sliding movement itself or a device used to stop or control a wheel.