Jackknifed: meaning, definitions and examples
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jackknifed
[ ˈdʒækˌnaɪfd ]
vehicle accident
To jackknife refers to a situation where a vehicle, especially a truck or trailer, folds at the joint, resembling a folding pocket knife. It usually occurs when the trailer swings out of control, commonly in slippery conditions. This can lead to accidents and blockages on roads.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The truck jackknifed on the icy road.
- After losing control, the driver jackknifed the trailer.
- We witnessed a jackknifed lorry on our way to work.
Translations
Translations of the word "jackknifed" in other languages:
🇵🇹 despedaçado
🇮🇳 जैकनाइफ किया हुआ
🇩🇪 auf die Schnauze gefallen
🇮🇩 terjatuh
🇺🇦 зламався
🇵🇱 złamany
🇯🇵 ジャックナイフのように折れた
🇫🇷 en forme de couteau
🇪🇸 en forma de navaja
🇹🇷 katlanmış
🇰🇷 접힌
🇸🇦 منحني
🇨🇿 převrácený
🇸🇰 prevrátený
🇨🇳 翻倒的
🇸🇮 prevrnjen
🇮🇸 umturnaður
🇰🇿 қисық
🇬🇪 გატეხილი
🇦🇿 sındırılmış
🇲🇽 doblado
Word origin
The term 'jackknife' originated in the 19th century, referring to a type of folding knife that opens and closes with a pivot. The word 'jack' in this context is thought to relate to the name 'jack', commonly used to denote a man or a common man. The 'knife' part refers to the blade's action of folding in on itself. In the context of vehicles, the term evolved in the mid-20th century when large trucks began to be more widely used. The visual similarity between the folding action of a jackknife and the way a trailer can swing back toward the cab of a truck during an upset led to the adoption of this term in the transportation industry.
Word Frequency Rank
Ranking #39,841, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.