# rid

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɹɪd/ · frequency rank #3,022

## Definitions
1. Followed by of: to free (oneself or someone, or a place) from an annoyance or hindrance.
2. Followed by away, from, or out of: to remove (oneself or someone, or something, that is annoying, troublesome, or unwanted).
3. Often followed by from, of, or out of: to free or release, or to rescue or save, (oneself or someone, or something).
4. To clear (a place or way); especially, to clear (land) of trees, undergrowth, etc.
5. Sometimes followed by away: to destroy or kill (someone).
6. Sometimes followed by up: to remove obstacles or refuse from (a place); to clean, to clear out; specifically, to clear or empty (the stomach).
7. Followed by up: to eradicate (something); to root out, to uproot.
8. Sometimes followed by away or off: to complete or get through (a task, or work).
9. Often followed by up: to put (a place, such as a room or a table) in order; to clear, to tidy.
10. To dismiss (someone) who has attended on a person; (reflexive) to remove (oneself) from a person's presence after attending to them.
11. To settle (a disagreement).
12. Followed by of: to deprive (oneself or someone) of something; to strip.
13. To get away from or get out of (a place); to escape.
14. To clear land or some other place.
15. To clear or empty the stomach; also, to clear the throat.
16. Of work: to be completed.

## 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 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 sense 1 (“progress which has been made; speed”), compare verb etymology 1 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”)

## Easily confused with
- **RS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rs)
- **RT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rt)
- **RM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rm)
- **RN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rn)
- **RP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rp)
- **RV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rv)
- **RR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rr)
- **RL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rl)
- **RW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rw)
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-run)
- **row** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-row)
- **Rio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rio)
- **rob** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rob)
- **rip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rip)
- **Roy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-roy)
- **Ron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-ron)
- **rod** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rod)
- **rub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rub)
- **rig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rig)
- **rim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rid-vs-rim)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rid