–verb (used with object), rid or rid·ded, rid·ding.
1.
to clear, disencumber, or free of something objectionable (usually fol. by of): I want to rid the house of mice. In my opinion, you'd be wise to rid yourself of the smoking habit.
2.
to relieve or disembarrass (usually fol. by of): to rid the mind of doubt.
3.
Archaic. to deliver or rescue: to rid them out of bondage; to rid him from his enemies.
—Idioms
4.
be rid of, to be free of or no longer encumbered by: to be rid of obligations.
5.
get rid of, to eliminate or discard: It's time we got rid of this trash.
[Origin: 1150–1200; ME ridden (v.), OE (ge)ryddan to clear (land); c. ON rythja to clear, empty]
ride the beam, Aeronautics. to fly along the course indicated by a radio beam.
36.
take for a ride, Slang.
a.
to murder, esp. by abducting the victim for that purpose.
b.
to deceive; trick: It was obvious to everyone but me that I was being taken for a ride.
[Origin: bef. 900; 1915–20 for def. 17; ME riden (v.), OE rīdan; c. OFris rīda, G reiten, ON rītha; akin to OIr ríad journey (cf. palfrey, rheda). See road]
c.1200, from O.N. ryðja (past tense ruddi, past participle ruddr) "to clear (land) of obstructions," from P.Gmc. *reudijanan (cf. O.H.G. riuten, Ger. reuten "to clear land," O.Fris. rothia "to clear," O.E. -royd "clearing," common in northern place names). The general sense of "to make (something) free (of something else)" emerged by 1565. Senses merged somewhat with Northern Eng., Scot., and U.S. dial redd. Riddance is attested from 1535.
Rid\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rid or Ridded; p. pr. & vb. n. Ridding.] [OE. ridden, redden, AS. hreddan to deliver, liberate; akin to D. & LG. redden, G. retten, Dan. redde, Sw. r["a]dda, and perhaps to Skr. ?rath to loosen.]1. To save; to rescue; to deliver; -- with out of. [Obs.] Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the wicked. --Ps. lxxxii. 4. 2. To free; to clear; to disencumber; -- followed by of. "Rid all the sea of pirates." --Shak. In never ridded myself of an overmastering and brooding sense of some great calamity traveling toward me. --De Quincey. 3. To drive away; to remove by effort or violence; to make away with; to destroy. [Obs.] I will red evil beasts out of the land. --Lev. xxvi. 6. Death's men, you have rid this sweet young prince! --Shak. 4. To get over; to dispose of; to dispatch; to finish. [R.] "Willingness rids way." --Shak. Mirth will make us rid ground faster than if thieves were at our tails. --J. Webster. To be rid of, to be free or delivered from. To get rid of, to get deliverance from; to free one's self from.
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