rid
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
to clear, disencumber, or free of something objectionable (usually followed byof ).
I want to rid the house of mice. In my opinion, you'd be wise to rid yourself of the smoking habit.
-
to relieve or disembarrass (usually followed byof ).
to rid the mind of doubt.
-
Archaic. to deliver or rescue.
to rid them out of bondage; to rid him from his enemies.
idioms
-
be rid of, to be free of or no longer encumbered by.
to be rid of obligations.
-
get rid of, to eliminate or discard.
It's time we got rid of this trash.
verb
verb
-
(foll by of) to relieve or deliver from something disagreeable or undesirable; make free (of)
to rid a house of mice
-
to relieve or free oneself of (something or someone unpleasant or undesirable)
Other Word Forms
- ridder noun
Etymology
Origin of rid
1150–1200; Middle English ridden (v.), Old English ( ge ) ryddan to clear (land); cognate with Old Norse rythja to clear, empty
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Many donations are from people getting rid of extra prescriptions shipped by mail-order pharmacies, or from the families of patients who have died, said Phil Baker, a pharmacist who leads the charity.
And if you notice, I never pushed them to get rid of the most precious pieces of their collection.
From Los Angeles Times
Not every present is greeted with delight - so instead of banishing them to the back of a cupboard, how can you get rid of them without causing offence?
From BBC
“I have to get rid of that,” she wrote, according to the documents.
From Los Angeles Times
Then, without warning, the pharmacy got rid of the display, replacing it with a model of the red regular M&M—which I’m not allergic to.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
