1
general::
Bring to a halt, as in The school committee put the skids on the idea of a dress code. The word skid here probably refers to a shoe or drag that applies pressure to the wheel of a vehicle to prevent it from moving.
American Heritage Idioms
2
general::
Phrase(s): put the skids on (something)
Sl. to cause something to fail. • They put the skids on the project when they refused to give us any more money. • That’s the end of our great idea! Somebody put the skids on.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs