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rid¹

  • /ɹɪd/ US, UK

Rhymes with -ɪd

Where it comes from

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 redden (“to rescue (someone), deliver, save; to rid (someone) of a burden; to free (someone)”) (from which redd (obsolete except Northern England, Scotland) is partly derived), from Old English hreddan (“to deliver, rescue, save; to free; to recover; to take away”), from Proto-West Germanic *hraddjan (“to rescue, save”), from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną (“to rescue, save; to free; to loosen”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kret- (“to move quickly; to rattle; to shake”); and

* Middle English reden (“to arrange; to get ready, prepare; to put in order, tidy; to remove debris, obstructions, etc., from (a place), to clear; to unblock; etc.”) (whence rede (chiefly Scotland, archaic)), from Old English rǣdan, Early Old English rēdan, from Proto-West Germanic *raidijan (“to arrange”), from Proto-Germanic *raidijaną (“to arrange”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂rey- (“to arrange; to count, count out”).

The adjective is derived from rid, the past participle of the verb. The noun is derived from the verb.

As regards noun etymology 1, noun sense 1 (“progress which has been made; speed”), compare verb etymology 1, verb sense 1.4.5 (“to complete or get through (a task, or work)”).

cognates

* Dutch redden (“to save, deliver”)

* German retten (“to save, deliver”), reuten (“to clear”), roden (“to clear”)

* Old Frisian hredda (“to save”)

* Old Norse hrōðja (“to clear, strip”), Old Norse ryðja (“to clear, empty”)

verb rids · ridding · rid · ridded

  1. also, reflexive, transitive Followed by of: to free (oneself or someone, or a place) from an annoyance or hindrance. I’m glad to be rid of that stupid nickname.

    Similar: deliver, disencumber

  2. also, reflexive, transitive Followed by away, from, or out of: to remove (oneself or someone, or something, that is annoying, troublesome, or unwanted). For the nature of the world is ſuch, that if any man rebuke the wickedneſſe thereof any thing ſharply, it ſéekes to rid them out of the way, too the intent it may ſinne the more licentiouſly.
  3. reflexive, transitive Often followed by from, of, or out of: to free or release, or to rescue or save, (oneself or someone, or something). [Y]f there happen a plage of leproſy in any houſe of youre poſſeſſion, then ſhal he that ow[n]eth the houſe, come and tell the preſt, and ſaye: Methynke there is as it were a plage of leproſy in my houſe. Then ſhal the preſt commaunde to rydde all thynge out of the houſe or euer the preſt go in to ſ
  4. archaic, transitive To clear (a place or way); especially, to clear (land) of trees, undergrowth, etc. The vvaies […] Trajanius repaired, by paving vvith stone, or raiſing vvith banks caſt up ſuch peeces of them as vvere moiſt and miry; by ſtocking up & ridding ſuch as vvere rough and overgrovven vvith buſhes and briers: […]
  5. archaic, transitive Sometimes followed by away: to destroy or kill (someone). This Gloſter ſhould be quickly rid the VVorld, / To rid vs from the feare vve haue of him.
  6. archaic, transitive Sometimes followed by up: to remove obstacles or refuse from (a place); to clean, to clear out; specifically, to clear or empty (the stomach). Come, lads, drink up your ale, and we'll just rid this corner, so as to have all clear for beginning at the wall as soon as 'tis light to-morrow.
  7. archaic, transitive Followed by up: to eradicate (something); to root out, to uproot.
  8. Shropshire, archaic, transitive Sometimes followed by away or off: to complete or get through (a task, or work). I Rydde buſyneſſe that I haue in hande I do it quyckly⸝ […] He is a quicke workeman he can rydde more worke in an houre than ſome can do in twayne: […]
  9. US, rare, regional, transitive Often followed by up: to put (a place, such as a room or a table) in order; to clear, to tidy. VVhen you rid up the Parlour Hearth in a Morning, throvv the laſt Night's Aſhes into a Sieve; and vvhat falls through, as you carry it dovvn, vvill ſerve inſtead of Sand for the Room and the Stairs.
  10. obsolete, transitive To dismiss (someone) who has attended on a person; (reflexive) to remove (oneself) from a person's presence after attending to them. We be able ynough to rydde vs of this mater without the [thee]: […]
  11. obsolete, transitive To settle (a disagreement). They [constables] ought to Rid Frays, and ſeek the Neighbours to aſſiſt for ſeparating the parties; and ſuch as hurt them may be puniſhed by the Juſtices.
  12. also, obsolete, reflexive, transitive Followed by of: to deprive (oneself or someone) of something; to strip. [Parradio] Reſolude to ſlay the Prince, / And ridde him of his lyfe: […]
  13. obsolete, rare, transitive To get away from or get out of (a place); to escape. But if I my Cage can rid, / I'le flye vvhere I neuer did.
  14. archaic, intransitive To clear land or some other place.
  15. West Midlands, archaic, intransitive To clear or empty the stomach; also, to clear the throat.
  16. Northern England, intransitive, obsolete Of work: to be completed. The Huntsman now calls in his Houndes, and at the fall of the Deere the Hornes goe apace: Now beginne the Horses to breathe, and the Labourer to sweat, and with quicke hands, worke rids apace: […]

adjective

  1. archaic, not comparable, obsolete Chiefly of a place: which has been ridded (etymology 1, verb sense 1.4.1) or cleared; rid-up. We will make room for you! We will make a rid road from here to Winchester!

    Similar: quit

noun

  1. Northern England, archaic, obsolete, rare, uncountable Progress which has been made; also, speed. Forkers are to bee foretolde that they give upp goode forkefulls [of hay], because the winde hath not soe much force and power to blowe it away, and likewise (by this meanes) it is sooner layde, and the loader comes more ridde.
  2. Northern England, archaic, obsolete, uncountable Loose earth, rubble, etc., on the surface of a quarry which must be removed before digging can begin; rid-work.

rid²

  • /ɹɪd/ US, UK

Rhymes with -ɪd

Where it comes from

The adjective is derived from rid, the obsolete past participle form of ride.

adjective

  1. Northern England, archaic, not comparable, obsolete As the second word in a compound: synonym of ridden (“full of; also, dominated, oppressed, or plagued by”). So Cupids faire mother be thy midvvife: out and alas I am mare rid, vvhat Somners Ghoſt or limme of Lucifer, puts poore Bordello in minde of pennance before he hath treſpaſſed?
  2. Northern England, archaic, not comparable, obsolete, postpositional Only in well-rid: of a horse: ridden. [F]ull ten thouſand horſe / Freſh and vvell rid ſtrong Maſſiniſſa leades / As vvinges to Roman legions that march ſvvift / Led by that man of conqueſt, Scipio.

verb

  1. Northern England, archaic, nonstandard, obsolete, participle, past simple past and past participle of ride

RID³

noun

  1. abbreviation, acronym, uncountable Acronym of recognition, intrusion and distraction, three reasons why a lifeguard may fail to notice a person drowning: (a) they may fail to recognise the instinctive drowning response; (b) they may have additional duties that intrude on lifeguarding; (c) they may be distracted.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: quit, disembarrass, free, liberated, liberating, liberate, freeing, release, disburden, disencumber, dispose, abandon, unleash, abolish, removal, undo

Translations

Every language

verb to free (oneself or someone, or a place) from an annoyance or hindrance

Españolliberar
Portuguêslibertar
Françaisdébarrasser
Deutschbefreien, vom Halse schaffen
Italianoliberare, sbarazzare
Русскийизбавля́ть izbavljátʹ, изба́вить izbávitʹ

verb to remove (oneself or someone, or something, that is annoying, troublesome, or unwanted)

Françaisdébarrasser
Italianoliberarsi, sbarazzarsi, disfarsi

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Cite this
MLA

"rid." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rid. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

rid. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rid

Chicago

"rid." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rid.

BibTeX
@misc{rid_2026,
  title = {rid},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rid},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}