JACKKNIFING Meaning and
Definition
-
Jackknifing refers to a phenomenon commonly seen in vehicles, particularly large trucks and trailers, where the vehicle folds up into a V-shape due to sudden and severe braking, resulting in a loss of control. This term is derived from the resemblance to a folding pocket knife or a folding hunting knife, known as a jackknife.
When a vehicle jackknifes, the trailer portion swings out to one side, forming an acute angle with the cab or control unit. This usually occurs when the wheels of the vehicle lock up on slippery or icy surfaces, causing the back end to slide out, and sometimes even rotate until it faces the forward direction, while the front portion remains straight. The result is a folding motion similar to that of a pocket knife blade swinging shut.
Jackknifing can be extremely dangerous and often causes collisions, as the rig loses control and slides across the road or into nearby objects or vehicles. The severity of the jackknife can range from minor sliding to a complete overturn of the vehicle, depending on the initial speed and the effectiveness of the braking system.
To prevent jackknifing, many modern vehicles are equipped with antilock braking systems (ABS) that prevent the wheels from fully locking up, maintaining traction and stability. Additionally, experienced drivers are trained to apply controlled and progressive braking to avoid sudden jolts and excessive pressure on the brakes, thereby minimizing the risk of jackknifing.
Common Misspellings for JACKKNIFING
Etymology of JACKKNIFING
The word "jackknifing" comes from the combination of two words: "jackknife" and "-ing".
1) "Jackknife" originated in the 1700s and originally referred to a type of pocket knife with a folding blade, which resembled the folding action of a jackknife. The term later came to be used metaphorically to describe various types of folding or bending actions that resemble the motion of a jackknife.
2) The suffix "-ing" is added to the base word "jackknife" to form the present participle form, indicating an ongoing action or state.
Therefore, "jackknifing" refers to the ongoing action or state of folding or bending in a way that resembles a jackknife, and it is commonly used to describe a specific type of vehicular accident where a truck or trailer folds in on itself, resembling the folding action of a jackknife.
Similar spelling words for JACKKNIFING
Conjugate verb Jackknifing
CONDITIONAL
I
would jackknife
we
would jackknife
you
would jackknife
he/she/it
would jackknife
they
would jackknife
FUTURE
I
will jackknife
we
will jackknife
you
will jackknife
he/she/it
will jackknife
they
will jackknife
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have jackknifed
we
will have jackknifed
you
will have jackknifed
he/she/it
will have jackknifed
they
will have jackknifed
PAST
I
jackknifed
we
jackknifed
you
jackknifed
he/she/it
jackknifed
they
jackknifed
PAST PERFECT
I
had jackknifed
we
had jackknifed
you
had jackknifed
he/she/it
had jackknifed
they
had jackknifed
PRESENT
I
jackknife
we
jackknife
you
jackknife
he/she/it
jackknifes
they
jackknife
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have jackknifed
we
have jackknifed
you
have jackknifed
he/she/it
has jackknifed
they
have jackknifed
I
am jackknifing
we
are jackknifing
you
are jackknifing
he/she/it
is jackknifing
they
are jackknifing
I
was jackknifing
we
were jackknifing
you
were jackknifing
he/she/it
was jackknifing
they
were jackknifing
I
will be jackknifing
we
will be jackknifing
you
will be jackknifing
he/she/it
will be jackknifing
they
will be jackknifing
I
have been jackknifing
we
have been jackknifing
you
have been jackknifing
he/she/it
has been jackknifing
they
have been jackknifing
I
had been jackknifing
we
had been jackknifing
you
had been jackknifing
he/she/it
had been jackknifing
they
had been jackknifing
I
will have been jackknifing
we
will have been jackknifing
you
will have been jackknifing
he/she/it
will have been jackknifing
they
will have been jackknifing
I
would have jackknifed
we
would have jackknifed
you
would have jackknifed
he/she/it
would have jackknifed
they
would have jackknifed
I
would be jackknifing
we
would be jackknifing
you
would be jackknifing
he/she/it
would be jackknifing
they
would be jackknifing
I
would have been jackknifing
we
would have been jackknifing
you
would have been jackknifing
he/she/it
would have been jackknifing
they
would have been jackknifing
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
