hit the skids

hit the skids
Skid Skid (sk[i^]d), n. [Icel. sk[=i][eth] a billet of wood. See {Shide}.] [Written also {skeed}.] 1. 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; a drag; a skidpan; also, by extension, a hook attached to a chain, and used for the same purpose. [1913 Webster]

2. A piece of timber used as a support, or to receive pressure. Specifically: (a) pl. (Naut.) Large fenders hung over a vessel's side to protect it in handling a cargo. --Totten. (b) One of a pair of timbers or bars, usually arranged so as to form an inclined plane, as form a wagon to a door, along which anything is moved by sliding or rolling. (c) One of a pair of horizontal rails or timbers for supporting anything, as a boat, a barrel, etc. [1913 Webster]

3. (A["e]ronautics) A runner (one or two) under some flying machines, used for landing. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

4. A low movable platform for supporting heavy items to be transported, typically of two layers, and having a space between the layers into which the fork of a fork lift can be inserted; it is used to conveniently transport heavy objects by means of a fork lift; -- a skid without wheels is the same as a {pallet}. [PJC]

5. pl. Declining fortunes; a movement toward defeat or downfall; -- used mostly in the phrase

{on the skids} and

{hit the skids}. [PJC]

6. [From the v.] Act of skidding; -- called also {side slip}. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • hit the skids — ► hit the skids informal begin a rapid decline. Main Entry: ↑skid …   English terms dictionary

  • hit the skids — informal begin a rapid decline or deterioration * * * hit the skids see ↑skid, 2 • • • Main Entry: ↑hit hit the skids informal : to begin to fail or get worse very suddenly and quickly After he was injured his career hit the skids …   Useful english dictionary

  • hit the skids — 1. to leave a place quickly. When his ex girlfriend arrived at the party Ben really hit the skids. 2. to make a vehicle stop very suddenly. A car suddenly pulled out in front of us and Jake hit the skids. 3. to get into a very bad situation,… …   New idioms dictionary

  • hit the skids — tv. to decline; to decrease in value or status. □ Jed hit the skids when he started drinking. □ The firm hit the skids when the dollar collapsed …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • hit the skids — verb to fail; decline After all, if these measures couldve succeeded, they wouldve been implemented five years ago when the world economy hadnt yet hit the skids. See Also: on the skids …   Wiktionary

  • hit the skids — begin to fail, go downhill    After losing his job and his wife he hit the skids became a bum …   English idioms

  • Hit the skids — apply the brakes …   Dictionary of Australian slang

  • hit the skids — Australian Slang apply the brakes …   English dialects glossary

  • hit the skids — informal begin a rapid decline. → skid …   English new terms dictionary

  • on the skids — Skid Skid (sk[i^]d), n. [Icel. sk[=i][eth] a billet of wood. See {Shide}.] [Written also {skeed}.] 1. 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; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”