fishtail
verb
fish·tail ˈfish-ˌtāl 
fishtailed; fishtailing; fishtails
intransitive verb
1
: to swing the tail of an airplane from side to side to reduce speed especially when landing
2
: to have the rear end slide from side to side out of control while moving forward
the car fishtailed on the icy curve
Example Sentences
The car fishtailed on the icy curve.
Recent Examples on the Web The dress from the Zuhair Murad Bridal Spring Summer 2023 Collection features a corset bodice, fishtail train and matching veil. 
Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 23 Aug. 2022 Video from the scene before the lane closures showed drivers struggling to maintain control of their vehicles, causing some to fishtail. Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2022 The white lace, off-the-shoulder design featured long sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, corset bodice and fishtail train. Brittany Talarico, PEOPLE.com, 18 July 2022 DeHerrera then careened into the parking lot of a nearby Hilton DoubleTree hotel, began to fishtail, sideswiped an occupied Hillsboro police car and crashed into a tree, deputies said. oregonlive, 23 Dec. 2021 Then the speeding tractor-trailer started to fishtail uncontrollably, said the teenager, Esvin Chipel Tzoy. New York Times, 10 Dec. 2021 The car started to fishtail before sliding out of control off the runway and into a grassy area from which spectators were watching. NBC News, 28 Oct. 2021 The car started to fishtail before sliding out of control off the runway and into a grassy area from which spectators were watching. CBS News, 28 Oct. 2021 The car started to fishtail before sliding out of control off the runway and into a grassy area from which spectators were watching. NBC News, 28 Oct. 2021 See More
Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 23 Aug. 2022 Video from the scene before the lane closures showed drivers struggling to maintain control of their vehicles, causing some to fishtail. Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2022 The white lace, off-the-shoulder design featured long sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, corset bodice and fishtail train. Brittany Talarico, PEOPLE.com, 18 July 2022 DeHerrera then careened into the parking lot of a nearby Hilton DoubleTree hotel, began to fishtail, sideswiped an occupied Hillsboro police car and crashed into a tree, deputies said. oregonlive, 23 Dec. 2021 Then the speeding tractor-trailer started to fishtail uncontrollably, said the teenager, Esvin Chipel Tzoy. New York Times, 10 Dec. 2021 The car started to fishtail before sliding out of control off the runway and into a grassy area from which spectators were watching. NBC News, 28 Oct. 2021 The car started to fishtail before sliding out of control off the runway and into a grassy area from which spectators were watching. CBS News, 28 Oct. 2021 The car started to fishtail before sliding out of control off the runway and into a grassy area from which spectators were watching. NBC News, 28 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1