skid
Meaning
(of a vehicle) to slide sideways or forwards in an uncontrolled way
an act or instance of skidding
a piece of wood or other material used as a support or to protect a surface
Usage
the car skidded on the icy road and hit the barrier.
the plane went into a skid upon landing.
they used wooden skids to move the heavy machinery across the floor.
Etymology
the verb 'skid' emerged in the late 17th century, originally meaning 'to apply a skid to (a wheel)'. its ultimate origin is uncertain but it is likely related to old norse 'skíð', meaning 'a billet of wood' or 'a ski'. the semantic journey connects the core idea of a wooden runner or plank used for sliding or support. from this concrete noun, the verb developed, first describing the act of using a skid to brake a wheel, and later evolving to describe the uncontrolled sliding motion itself, which is its most common modern sense.
Analysis
the word 'skid' is a simplex word of uncertain, likely scandinavian, origin. it functions as a single, unanalyzable morpheme in modern english.