phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb
get rid of
to dispose of something
What it means
To dispose of, remove, or free yourself from something or someone unwanted. It works for physical things, problems, habits, and even people.
Words like “get rid of” are exactly the kind of vocabulary our English vocabulary size test measures — find out how many English words you know.
Examples
- I finally got rid of all those old textbooks from university.
- She can't get rid of this cough no matter what she tries.
- We need to get rid of this software before the audit.
- He got rid of his car and started cycling everywhere instead.
Where it comes from
A three-word phrasal verb that always stays in the order 'get rid of'. The 'rid' comes from Old Norse 'rythja', meaning to clear.
Related phrasal verbs
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