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Drift vs. Skid — What's the Difference?

Drift vs. Skid — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Drift and Skid

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Drift

Be carried slowly by a current of air or water
The cabin cruiser started to drift downstream
Excited voices drifted down the hall

Skid

The action of sliding or slipping over a surface, often sideways.

Drift

(especially of snow or leaves) be blown into heaps by the wind
Fallen leaves start to drift in the gutters

Skid

A plank, log, or timber, usually one of a pair, used as a support or as a track for sliding or rolling heavy objects.

Drift

A continuous slow movement from one place to another
There was a drift to the towns
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Skid

A pallet for loading or handling goods, especially one having solid sideboards and no bottom.

Drift

The general intention or meaning of an argument or someone's remarks
Maybe I'm too close to the forest to see the trees, if you catch my drift
He didn't understand much Greek, but he got her drift

Skid

One of several logs or timbers forming a skid road.

Drift

A large mass of snow, leaves, or other material piled up or carried along by the wind
Four sheep were dug out of the drift

Skid

Skids Nautical A wooden framework attached to the side of a ship to prevent damage, as when unloading.

Drift

A horizontal or inclined passage following a mineral vein or coal seam
The drift led to another smaller ore chamber

Skid

A shoe or drag applying pressure to a wheel to brake a vehicle.

Drift

An act of driving cattle or sheep.

Skid

A runner in the landing gear of certain aircraft.

Drift

A ford.

Skid

A period of sharp decline or repeated losses
Bad economic news sent the markets into a skid. The win ended the team's four-game skid.

Drift

To be carried along by currents of air or water
A balloon drifting eastward.
As the wreckage drifted toward shore.

Skid

Skids A path to ruin or failure
His career hit the skids. Her life is now on the skids.

Drift

To proceed or move unhurriedly or aimlessly
Drifting among the party guests.
A day laborer, drifting from town to town.

Skid

To slide, especially roughly or heavily
The crate broke loose and skidded across the slanting deck.

Drift

To live or behave without a clear purpose or goal
Drifted through his college years unable to decide on a career.

Skid

To slide sideways while moving because of loss of traction
The truck skidded on a patch of ice.

Drift

To have no continuing focus; stray
My attention drifted during the boring presentation.

Skid

To slide from forward momentum, especially during an attempt to stop
Braked hard and skidded to a stop.

Drift

To vary from or oscillate randomly about a fixed setting, position, or mode of operation.

Skid

To move sideways in a turn because of insufficient banking. Used of an airplane.

Drift

To be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of a current
Snow drifting to five feet.

Skid

(Informal)To fall or decline sharply
"That news immediately sent bonds skidding to new lows" (Wall Street Journal).

Drift

To cause to be carried in a current
Drifting the logs downstream.

Skid

To brake (a wheel) with a skid.

Drift

To pile up in banks or heaps
Wind drifted the loose straw against the barn.

Skid

To haul on a skid or skids.

Drift

Western US To drive (livestock) slowly or far afield, especially for grazing.

Skid

An out-of-control sliding motion as would result from applying the brakes too hard in a car.
Just before hitting the guardrail the driver was able to regain control and pull out of the skid.

Drift

Something moving along in a current of air or water
A drift of logs in the river.

Skid

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.

Drift

A bank or pile, as of sand or snow, heaped up by currents of air or water.

Skid

(by extension) A hook attached to a chain, used for the same purpose.

Drift

(Geology) Rock debris transported and deposited by or from ice, especially by or from a glacier.

Skid

A piece of timber or other material used as a support, or to receive pressure.

Drift

A general trend or tendency, as of opinion.

Skid

A runner of a sled.
In the hours before daylight he sharpened the skids and tightened the lashings to prepare for the long dogsled journey.

Drift

General meaning or purport; tenor
Caught the drift of the conversation.

Skid

A ski-shaped runner or supporting surface as found on a helicopter or other aircraft in place of wheels.
Due to frequent arctic travel, the plane was equipped with long skids for snow and ice landings.

Drift

A gradual change in position
An iceberg's eastward drift.

Skid

A basic platform for the storage and transport of goods, machinery or equipment, later developed into the pallet.
He unloaded six skids of boxes from the truck.

Drift

A gradual deviation from an original course, model, method, or intention.

Skid

Large fenders hung over a vessel's side to protect it when handling cargo.

Drift

Variation or random oscillation about a fixed setting, position, or mode of behavior.

Skid

One of a pair of horizontal rails or timbers for supporting anything, such as a boat or barrel.

Drift

A gradual change in the output of a circuit or amplifier.

Skid

(aviation) A banked sideslip where the aircraft's nose is yawed towards the low wing, often due to excessive rudder input.

Drift

The rate of flow of a water current.

Skid

(sports) also losing skid A losing streak.

Drift

A tool for ramming or driving something down.

Skid

(internet slang) A stepchild.

Drift

A tapered steel pin for enlarging and aligning holes.

Skid

(internet slang) A script kiddie.

Drift

A horizontal or nearly horizontal passageway in a mine running through or parallel to a vein.

Skid

(intransitive) (of a wheel, sled runner, or vehicle tracks) To slide along the ground, without the rotary motion that wheels or tracks would normally have.

Drift

A secondary mine passageway between two main shafts or tunnels.

Skid

(intransitive) To slide in an uncontrolled manner as in a car with the brakes applied too hard, the wheels sliding with limited spinning.
They skidded around the corner and accelerated up the street.

Drift

A drove or herd, especially of swine.

Skid

To operate an aircraft in a banked sideslip with the nose yawed towards the low wing.
Don't use excessive rudder when turning, especially at low airspeed, as this causes your plane to skid through the turn, which can cause you to very rapidly enter a spin if the inner wing stalls.
Because of the jammed ailerons, the pilot had to use careful rudder inputs to skid his plane in order to turn it so he could get lined up with the runway.

Drift

(physical) Movement; that which moves or is moved.

Skid

(transitive) To protect or support with a skid or skids.

Drift

Anything driven at random.

Skid

(transitive) To cause to move on skids.

Drift

A mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together in a body, or thrown together in a heap, etc., especially by wind or water.
A drift of snow, of ice, of sand, of plants, etc.

Skid

(transitive) To check or halt (wagon wheels, etc.) with a skid.

Drift

The distance through which a current flows in a given time.

Skid

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.

Drift

A drove or flock, as of cattle, sheep, birds.

Skid

A piece of timber used as a support, or to receive pressure.

Drift

A collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface, especially in latitudes north of forty degrees, by the retreat of continental glaciers, such as that which buries former river valleys and creates young river valleys.

Skid

A runner (one or two) under some flying machines, used for landing.

Drift

Driftwood included in flotsam washed up onto the beach.

Skid

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.

Drift

(obsolete) A driving; a violent movement.

Skid

Declining fortunes; a movement toward defeat or downfall; - used mostly in the phrase on the skids and hit the skids.

Drift

Course or direction along which anything is driven; setting.

Skid

Act of skidding; - called also side slip.

Drift

That which is driven, forced, or urged along.

Skid

To protect or support with a skid or skids; also, to cause to move on skids.

Drift

The act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse.

Skid

To check with a skid, as wagon wheels.

Drift

A place (a ford) along a river where the water is shallow enough to permit crossing to the opposite side.

Skid

To haul (logs) to a skid and load on a skidway.

Drift

The tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention; hence, also, import or meaning of a sentence or discourse; aim.

Skid

To slide without rotating; - said of a wheel held from turning while the vehicle moves onward.

Drift

(architecture) The horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments.

Skid

To fail to grip the roadway; specif., to slip sideways on the road; to side-slip; - said esp. of a cycle or automobile.

Drift

(handiwork) A tool.

Skid

One of a pair of planks used to make a track for rolling or sliding objects

Drift

A slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal, by being forced or driven into or through it; a broach.

Skid

A restraint provided when the brake linings are moved hydraulically against the brake drum to retard the wheel's rotation

Drift

A tool used to pack down the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.

Skid

An unexpected slide

Drift

A tool used to insert or extract a removable pin made of metal or hardwood, for the purpose of aligning and/or securing two pieces of material together.

Skid

Slide without control;
The car skidded in the curve on the wet road

Drift

A deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to obloid projectiles.

Skid

Elevate onto skids

Drift

(uncountable) Minor deviation of audio or video playback from its correct speed.

Skid

Apply a brake or skid to

Drift

The situation where a performer gradually and unintentionally moves from their proper location within the scene.

Skid

Move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner;
The wheels skidded against the sidewalk

Drift

(mining) A passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery; an adit or tunnel.

Drift

(nautical) Movement.

Drift

The angle which the line of a ship's motion makes with the meridian, in drifting.

Drift

The distance a vessel is carried off from her desired course by the wind, currents, or other causes.

Drift

The place in a deep-waisted vessel where the sheer is raised and the rail is cut off, and usually terminated with a scroll, or driftpiece.

Drift

The distance between the two blocks of a tackle.

Drift

The difference between the size of a bolt and the hole into which it is driven, or between the circumference of a hoop and that of the mast on which it is to be driven.

Drift

(cricket) A sideways movement of the ball through the air, when bowled by a spin bowler.

Drift

Slow, cumulative change.
Genetic drift

Drift

In New Forest National Park, UK, the bi-annual round-up of wild ponies in order to be sold.

Drift

(intransitive) To move slowly, especially pushed by currents of water, air, etc.
The boat drifted away from the shore.
The balloon was drifting in the breeze.

Drift

(intransitive) To move haphazardly without any destination.
He drifted from town to town, never settling down.

Drift

(intransitive) To deviate gently from the intended direction of travel.
This car tends to drift left at high speeds.

Drift

(transitive) To drive or carry, as currents do a floating body.

Drift

(transitive) To drive into heaps.
A current of wind drifts snow or sand

Drift

(intransitive) To accumulate in heaps by the force of wind; to be driven into heaps.
Snow or sand drifts.

Drift

To make a drift; to examine a vein or ledge for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of metals or ores; to follow a vein; to prospect.

Drift

To enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift.

Drift

(automotive) To oversteer a vehicle, causing loss of traction, while maintaining control from entry to exit of a corner. See Drifting (motorsport).

Drift

A driving; a violent movement.
The dragon drew him [self] away with drift of his wings.

Drift

The act or motion of drifting; the force which impels or drives; an overpowering influence or impulse.
A bad man, being under the drift of any passion, will follow the impulse of it till something interpose.

Drift

Course or direction along which anything is driven; setting.

Drift

The tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention; hence, also, import or meaning of a sentence or discourse; aim.
He has made the drift of the whole poem a compliment on his country in general.
Now thou knowest my drift.

Drift

That which is driven, forced, or urged along
Drifts of rising dust involve the sky.
We got the brig a good bed in the rushing drift [of ice].

Drift

A drove or flock, as of cattle, sheep, birds.
Cattle coming over the bridge (with their great drift doing much damage to the high ways).

Drift

The horizontal thrust or pressure of an arch or vault upon the abutments.

Drift

A collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface, especially in latitudes north of forty degrees, by the agency of ice.

Drift

In South Africa, a ford in a river.

Drift

A slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal, by being forced or driven into or through it; a broach.

Drift

A tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework.

Drift

A passage driven or cut between shaft and shaft; a driftway; a small subterranean gallery; an adit or tunnel.

Drift

The distance through which a current flows in a given time.

Drift

The difference between the size of a bolt and the hole into which it is driven, or between the circumference of a hoop and that of the mast on which it is to be driven.

Drift

One of the slower movements of oceanic circulation; a general tendency of the water, subject to occasional or frequent diversion or reversal by the wind; as, the easterly drift of the North Pacific.

Drift

The horizontal component of the pressure of the air on the sustaining surfaces of a flying machine. The lift is the corresponding vertical component, which sustains the machine in the air.

Drift

To float or be driven along by, or as by, a current of water or air; as, the ship drifted astern; a raft drifted ashore; the balloon drifts slowly east.
We drifted o'er the harbor bar.

Drift

To accumulate in heaps by the force of wind; to be driven into heaps; as, snow or sand drifts.

Drift

To make a drift; to examine a vein or ledge for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of metals or ores; to follow a vein; to prospect.

Drift

To drive or carry, as currents do a floating body.

Drift

To drive into heaps; as, a current of wind drifts snow or sand.

Drift

To enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift.

Drift

That causes drifting or that is drifted; movable by wind or currents; as, drift currents; drift ice; drift mud.

Drift

A force that moves something along

Drift

The gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)

Drift

A process of linguistic change over a period of time

Drift

Something that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents

Drift

A general tendency to change (as of opinion);
Not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book
A broad movement of the electorate to the right

Drift

General meaning or tenor;
Caught the drift of the conversation

Drift

A horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine;
They dug a drift parallel with the vein

Drift

Be in motion due to some air or water current;
The leaves were blowing in the wind
The boat drifted on the lake
The sailboat was adrift on the open sea
The shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore

Drift

Wander from a direct course or at random;
The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her
Don't drift from the set course

Drift

Move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment;
The gypsies roamed the woods
Roving vagabonds
The wandering Jew
The cattle roam across the prairie
The laborers drift from one town to the next
They rolled from town to town

Drift

Vary or move from a fixed point or course;
Stock prices are drifting higher

Drift

Live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely;
My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school

Drift

Move in an unhurried fashion;
The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests

Drift

Cause to be carried by a current;
Drift the boats downstream

Drift

Drive slowly and far afield for grazing;
Drift the cattle herds westwards

Drift

Be subject to fluctuation;
The stock market drifted upward

Drift

Be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current;
Snow drifting several feet high
Sand drifting like snow

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