Meanings
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1
verb
To free yourself or a place from something unwanted (used with 'of').
I'm glad to be rid of that stupid nickname.
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2
verb
To remove something unwanted from a place or person (used with 'of').
They worked hard to rid the house of insects.
Thesaurus
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English ridden (“to remove debris, obstructions, etc., from (a place), to clear; to complete (something unfinished); to free (someone or something); to relieve (someone); etc.”), probably from Old English *ryddan (“to remove debris, obstructions, etc., from (a place), to clear”) (the past participle form ġeryd is attested), from Proto-Germanic *riudijaną (“to clear”), from Proto-Indo-European *Hrewdʰ- (“to clear land”), or possibly from *Hrew- (“to dig out, tear out; to open; to acquire”). The verb was probably also influenced by the following: * Middle English…