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to hydroplane

to hydroplane

1 4.6
To slide on a wet road when a car's tires lose grip
  • verb
  • /ˈhaɪdroʊˌpleɪn/
  • US
translation icon : aquaplanear
  • When I hit the brakes on the wet road, my car started to hydroplane and I lost control.
  • hydroplaned in heavy rain
  • a car hydroplaned
  • start to hydroplane

Examples

  • The car hydroplaned over dips filled with rainwater, blasting muddy showers over the hood.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The ground was wet and I hydroplaned.

  • What if you hydroplane?

  • It also feels like it's hydroplaning in wet weather; my tires are fine.

    Blog text (20)
  • We're hydroplaning.

  • Driving too fast in rainy weather can cause your vehicle to hydroplane on the slick pavement.

  • He felt a surge of panic when his motorcycle began to hydroplane during the downpour.

Synonyms

to skid
vsto hydroplane
3 3.5

To slide sideways without control, usually when a car's wheels lose grip on a slippery road

involves loss of contact with the road specifically because of water
to aquaplane
vsto hydroplane
  • UK
8.4

To slide on a wet road when water lifts the tires from the surface

focuses on tires losing contact with the road due to water

Antonyms

310 1.0

An act when something ends or pauses

116 1.0

A firm hold on something so it does not slip

Compounds

A sport where very fast motorboats race on water

How Slippery

to hydroplane
  • US
1 4.6
to skid
3 3.5
to slide
716 1.0

Surface Forms

hydroplane infinitive
hydroplaned past participle
hydroplaning present participle
hydroplanes third person singular

Etymology

The verb hydroplane combines hydro- 'water' and plane 'to glide', and a helpful way to remember it is to imagine a car's tires lifting and the car 'skimming' like a boat, so it means to slide out of control on a wet road.