skid n. a disreputable or unfashionable young person. Editorial Note: There is some evidence that this term is most common in Canada. Etymological Note: Said to be a contraction of street kid, but there’s little substantiation for this. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Samantha Harvey’s novel Orbital is a sensuous, exhilarating meditation about the strangeness of life on a space station, with its mix of tedious tasks and jaw-dropping views. And: a musician who rode the rails in his youth shares the slang he...
Steve, a singer-songwriter from Rock Springs, Wyoming, shares some slang he picked up while months riding the rails and busking. Spanging refers to panhandling, from asking for “spare change.” The term bull refers to a type of security...
There was a British band called ‘The Skids’ in the punk era – which probably either came from a contr. of street kids or was an allusion to ‘skid marks’1979
what about “skid row” – as in the area where poor/homeless people (used to) congregate?
There’s most likely no connection to “skid row.”
Skid Row was a Canadian band, however. Might also be a reference to “skidmarks.”
In my high school near Toronto, somehow the word “skid” became de rigeur to describe all the metalheads in our crew. Also, “dirt kids” was acceptable.
my friend wrote a book called Skids
here is her website containing the Globe and Mail review refered to above:
cathleenwith.blogspot.com