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rid

(rĭd)

tr.v. rid or rid·ded, rid·ding, rids

To cause (someone) to be free from something; relieve or disencumber: He was finally able to rid himself of all financial worries.

Idiom:

get rid of

To rid oneself of (something); discard or get free of: Let's get rid of that broken chair.

[Middle English ridden, probably from Old Norse rydhja, to clear land.]

ridder n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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