rid

Etymology 1

Fusion of Middle English redden (“to deliver from, rid, clear”) (from Old English hreddan (“to deliver, rescue, free from, take away”), from Proto-West Germanic *hraddjan, from Proto-Germanic *hradjaną (“to save, deliver”)) and Middle English ridden (“to clear away, remove obstructions”) (from Old English ġeryddan (“to clear land”), from Proto-Germanic *riudijaną (“to clear”), from Proto-Indo-European *rewdʰ- (“to clear land”). Akin to Old Frisian hredda (“to save”), Dutch redden (“to save, deliver”), German retten (“to save, deliver”), roden (“to clear”) and reuten (“to clear”), Old Norse ryðja (“to clear, empty”), Old Norse hrōðja (“to clear, strip”). More at redd.

adj

1. Released from an obligation, problem, etc. (usually followed by of).
   I’m glad to be rid of that stupid nickname.

verb

1. (transitive) To free (something) from a hindrance or annoyance.
   We're trying to rid the world of poverty.
   Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest? 1170, King Henry II (offhand remark)
   If the Government believes that part of the railways' salvation is to be found in ridding them of extraneous concerns, it should have had the courage either to close the railway works down as quickly as possible, or to hive them off as an entirely separate concern, …. 1964 May, “News and Comment: Minister hamstrings BR workshops”, in Modern Railways, page 291
   All the billions in the world and Manchester City still cannot rid themselves of the most persistent thorn in their side. 9 March 2014, Jacob Steinberg, “Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals”, in The Guardian
2. (transitive, chiefly obsolete) To banish.
   Worst of all were the leeches. The soldiers had managed to rid them from the camp interiors, but once you ventured out on patrol and into the wetlands, they were everywhere. 2008, John H. Goodwin, The Reluctant Spy, page 293
3. (transitive, obsolete) To kill.

Etymology 2

verb

1. (obsolete or nonstandard) simple past and past participle of ride
   "He would have rid that horse, too," pa says, "if I hadn't a stopped him. A durn spotted critter wilder than a catty-mount. A deliberate flouting of her and me." 1930, William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying, Library of America, published 1985, page 67