ski

Pluralskis

Formsskis, skiing, skied

1. 1
   nouncountable

   One of a pair of long, flat runners attached to the feet for gliding over snow or water.

   A broken ski left her stranded halfway down the mountain.

   Water skis are shorter and wider than the kind used on snow.

   Note

   The core sense carries the word's whole history. English took ski from Norwegian, and behind it lies Old Norse skíð, "stick of wood, snowshoe", from a root meaning "to cut, split". A ski began as a split length of timber. Its English cousin is the old word shide, and German Scheit still means "log". The noun often works attributively, as in ski resort, ski slope and ski boots.

2. 2
   verbintransitive

   To move over snow or water on skis.

   We ski whenever there's fresh powder on the slopes.

   Children who ski from an early age often develop excellent balance.

   Note

   The verb's forms need some care in spelling. The present participle keeps both vowels (skiing), and the past and past participle are skied. The third person is normally skis, with skies as a recognized variant. The same skies sometimes appears as a plural of the noun. This intransitive use names the motion itself, with no object: she skis by, we skied back.

3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To travel over a slope or at a place on skis, especially as a sport.

   Experts ski runs that beginners would never attempt.

   He skied the entire valley before lunch.

   Note

   The transitive use, where the terrain itself becomes the object: you ski the Alps, ski a run, ski a whole valley, rather than skiing on or down it. That makes it the natural verb for resorts and routes. It contrasts with the plain 'move on skis' verb, which takes no object. The third person appears as both skis and skies, and skies is easily misread as the plural of sky.

4. 4
   nouncountable

   An outing or trip made for the purpose of skiing.

   The whole family went on a ski through the backcountry.

   A quick ski before breakfast became their daily ritual.

   Note

   The noun of the outing belongs to the same family as a swim, a walk and a run. It turns an activity into a single occasion, and its natural home is the phrase go for a ski. It almost always takes a or an adjective of length or timing, such as a quick ski or a long ski, rather than standing alone.

5. 5
   nouncountable

   One of a pair of long, flat runners fitted beneath some aircraft, used for landing.

   The bush plane's skis let it land on the glacier.

   Mechanics replaced a damaged ski before the next flight.

   Note

   Aviation borrowed the skier's runner for landing gear. On certain aircraft a pair of skis takes the place of wheels, so the machine can set down on a surface where wheels would not serve. The word keeps its everyday plural and its pairing: an aircraft lands on skis, just as a person travels on them.

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