When a vehicle skids, its wheels slide across the ground instead of rolling normally, causing the driver to lose control of steering. This usually happens when roads are slippery from ice, rain, or oil, or when a driver brakes too hard. You might see skid marks on pavement where tires scraped along the surface, leaving dark streaks of rubber. Race car drivers sometimes skid intentionally around tight corners, but for most drivers, a skid is frightening and dangerous.

The word can also mean sliding or slipping in general. A book might skid across a polished table, or your feet might skid on a wet floor. When something comes to a skidding halt, it slides to a stop rather than stopping smoothly.

As a noun, a skid can mean a platform used to move heavy objects, like wooden pallets that slide under machinery. When people say a neighborhood is on the skids, they mean it's declining or getting worse. And skid row refers to a run-down part of town where many people without homes live.