make away with

English

Etymology

From make away +‎ with.

Verb

make away with (third-person singular simple present makes away with, present participle making away with, simple past and past participle made away with)

1. To steal; to escape with ill-gotten gains.

   Thieves made away with £50,000 of jewellery in last night's heist.

2. To transfer or alienate; hence, to spend; to dissipate.
3. To do away with; to destroy.
4. To be excused from punishment after committing (an offense).
   College applicants can make away with a few office referrals and maybe a detention, but students who have been suspended or expelled may not be accepted.

Quotations

• 1843 Past and Present, book 2, ch. 1, Jocelin of Brakelond

  the Dominus Rex, at departing, gave us 'thirteen sterlingii,' one shilling and one penny, to say a mass for him; and so departed (...)! 'Thirteen pence sterling,' this was what the Convent got from Lackland, for all the victuals he and his had made away with. We of course said our mass for him (...)

Synonyms

• make off with