skɪd v. & n. --v. (skidded, skidding) 1 intr. (of a
vehicle, a
wheel, or a driver)
slide on
slippery ground,
esp.
sideways or obliquely. 2 tr.
cause (a vehicle etc.) to skid. 3 intr. slip, slide. 4 intr. colloq.
fail or
decline or
err. 5 tr.
support or
move or
protect or check
with a skid. --n. 1
the act or an
instance of skidding. 2 a
piece of
wood etc.
serving as a support, ship's
fender, inclined plane, etc. 3 a braking
device, esp. a
wooden or
metal shoe preventing a wheel
from revolving or used as a
drag. 4 a
runner beneath an
aircraft for use when landing. øhit the skids colloq.
enter a
rapid decline or deterioration. on the skids colloq. 1
about to be discarded or defeated. 2
ready for launching. put the skids
under colloq. 1
hasten the
downfall or
failure of. 2 cause to hasten. skid-lid sl. a crash-helmet. skid-pan
Brit. 1 a slippery
surface prepared for vehicle-drivers to
practise control of skidding. 2 a braking device. skid road US 1 a road for hauling logs
along. 2 a
part of a
town frequented by loggers or vagrants. skid row US a part of a town frequented by vagrants, alcoholics, etc. [17th
c.: orig. unkn.]
