Where does “skid car” come from?

skid car (English) comes from English skid, from English stepkid, from English step, from English stepchild, from Middle English stepchild, from Old English stēopċild, from Old English ċild, from Proto-Germanic kelþaz — to swallow; swallow.

skid car (English): A car with a frame on casters attached to it (a skid frame), which lowers the effective weight of the car on its tires, allowing easy skids, simulating aquaplaning and driving on ice

Definitions

  1. A car with a frame on casters attached to it (a skid frame), which lowers the effective weight of the car on its tires, allowing easy skids, simulating aquaplaning and driving on ice

Ancestry of “skid car”, step by step

skid car traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English skid

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishskidAn out-of-control sliding motion as would result...
2Englishstepkidstepchild
3EnglishstepAn advance or movement made from one foot to the...
4EnglishstepchildThe child of one's spouse but not one's own; A...
5Middle Englishstepchildstepchild child of a spouse
6Old Englishstēopċildstepchild
7Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
8Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
9Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
10Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

via English car

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcarA wheeled vehicle that moves independently, with...
2Middle Englishcarrecart, wagon
3Anglo-Normancarrecart
4Latincarra
5Latincarrusa wagon, a four-wheeled baggage cart; a cartload,...
6Gaulishkarroswagon
7Proto-Celtickarroswagon
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱr̥sósvehicle
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱers-to run
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt-Every word from Proto-Germanic kelþaz