riddance

English

Etymology

Apparently an alteration of earlier Middle English riddeings, ryddyngs, reddyngs (“clearings, clearances”), plural of riddyng, riddynge, rudyng (“clearing away, removal”), partially continuing Old English hryding (“a clearing, cleared land”), by surface analysis, rid +‎ -ance.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪd(ə)n(t)s/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪdn̩(t)s/
• Hyphenation: rid‧dance

Noun

riddance (countable and uncountable, plural riddances)

1. An act of ridding, clearance, or removal; elimination.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii]:

     A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go.
     Let all of his complexion choose me so.

   • 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 230c:

     And this kind of riddance is the most pleasant to listen to of all

2. Deliverance, release, setting free; a relief involving getting rid of something.
3. The earth thrown up by a burrowing animal.

Derived terms

• good riddance
• good riddance to bad rubbish

Translations

an act of ridding, clearance — see also removal,‎ elimination,‎ loss

• Spanish: deshacimiento (es) m (desus.), desfacción (es) f (desus.), desfacimiento (es) m (desus.)

References

• “riddance”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• candider, cider-and