put the skids on

Idioms

Bring to a halt, as in The school committee put the skids on the idea of a dress code. The word skid here probably refers to a shoe or drag that applies pressure to the wheel of a vehicle to prevent it from moving.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But in October 2015 he put the skids on a full withdrawal, saying 5,500 troops would stay to support Afghan forces and to continue counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2016

This event marked a turning point in the centuries-long struggle between the two nations, as it put the skids on France’s rise and saved Britain.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 14, 2016

It was a year ago that captain Steven Gerrard's fateful slip against Chelsea put the skids on what was looking like a thrilling, and completely unexpected, Premier League title triumph.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2015

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023