skid

Where does the word "skid" come from? It comes from Old Norse skíð, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Skid’s story begins in Old Norse: skíð meant “stick of wood, snowshoe.” A split length of wood; the same word gave English 'ski' via Norwegian. It reached English by 1600s as skid. First a plank or beam for sliding heavy loads, then a brake shoe on a wheel; later, the verb 'slide sideways out of control' came from wheels locked by the brake and sliding. Today, skid means to slide sideways out of control; a sliding motion.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval skíð "stick of wood, snowshoe", a split length of wood; the same word gave English 'ski' via Norwegian.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s skid "a wooden runner or plank; later to slide uncontrollably", first a plank or beam for sliding heavy loads, then a brake shoe on a wheel; later, the verb 'slide sideways out of control' came from wheels locked by the brake and sliding.