4 VERB If you rid yourself of something you do not want, you take action so that you no longer have it or are no longer affected by it. □ [V pron-refl + of ] Why couldn't he ever rid himself of those thoughts, those worries?
5 ADJ If you are rid of someone or something that you did not want or that caused problems for you, they are no longer with you or causing problems for you. □ [+ of ] The family had sought a way to be rid of her and the problems she had caused them.
rid|dance /r I d ə ns/ PHRASE You say ' good riddance ' to indicate that you are pleased that someone has left or that something has gone. [FEELINGS ] □ He's gone back to London in a huff and good riddance.
rid|den /r I d ə n/ Ridden is the past participle of ride .
-ridden /-r I d ə n/ COMB -ridden combines with nouns to form adjectives that describe something as having a lot of a particular undesirable thing or quality, or suffering very much because of it. □ He was embracing the cause of debt-ridden and credit-starved farmers.
rid|dle /r I d ə l/ (riddles , riddling , riddled )
1 N‑COUNT A riddle is a puzzle or joke in which you ask a question that seems to be nonsense but which has a clever or amusing answer.
2 N‑COUNT You can describe something as a riddle if people have been trying to understand or explain it but have not been able to. □ [+ of ] Hawking's equation is a clue to the riddle of black holes.
3 VERB If someone riddles something with bullets or bullet holes, they fire a lot of bullets into it. □ [V n + with ] Unknown attackers riddled two homes with gunfire.
rid|dled /r I d ə ld/
1 ADJ If something is riddled with bullets or bullet holes, it is full of bullet holes. □ [+ with ] The bodies of four people were found riddled with bullets.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] If something is riddled with undesirable qualities or features, it is full of them. □ [+ with ] They were the principal shareholders in a bank riddled with corruption.
-riddled /-r I d ə ld/ COMB [usu ADJ n] -riddled combines with nouns to form adjectives that describe something as being full of a particular undesirable thing or quality. □ She pushed the bullet-riddled door open.
ride ◆◆◇ /ra I d/ (rides , riding , rode , ridden )
1 VERB When you ride a horse, you sit on it and control its movements. □ [V n] I saw a girl riding a horse. □ [V ] Can you ride? □ [V + on ] He was riding on his horse looking for the castle. □ [V adv/prep] They still ride around on horses.
2 VERB When you ride a bicycle or a motorcycle, you sit on it, control it, and travel along on it. □ [V n] Riding a bike is great exercise. □ [V + on ] Two men riding on motorcycles opened fire on him. □ [V prep/adv] He rode to work on a bicycle.
3 VERB When you ride in a vehicle such as a car, you travel in it. □ [V + in/on ] He prefers travelling on the Tube to riding in a limousine. □ [V adv/prep] I remember the village full of American servicemen riding around in jeeps.
4 N‑COUNT A ride is a journey on a horse or bicycle, or in a vehicle. □ Would you like to go for a ride?
5 N‑COUNT In a fairground, a ride is a large machine that people ride on for fun.
6 VERB [oft cont] If you say that one thing is riding on another, you mean that the first thing depends on the second thing. □ [V + on ] Billions of pounds are riding on the outcome of the election.
7 → see also riding
8 PHRASE [usu cont] If you say that someone or something is riding high , you mean that they are popular or successful at the present time. □ He was riding high in the public opinion polls.
9 PHRASE If you say that someone faces a rough ride , you mean that things are going to be difficult for them because people will criticize them a lot or treat them badly. [INFORMAL ] □ The Chancellor could face a rough ride unless the plan works.
10 PHRASE If you say that someone has been taken for a ride , you mean that they have been deceived or cheated. [INFORMAL ] □ When he didn't return with my money, I realized I had been taken for a ride.
11 to ride roughshod over → see roughshod
▸ ride out PHRASAL VERB If someone rides out a storm or a crisis, they manage to survive a difficult period without suffering serious harm. □ [V P n] The ruling party think they can ride out the political storm. □ [V n P ] He has to just ride this out and hope that it turns in his favor.
▸ ride up PHRASAL VERB If a garment rides up , it moves upwards, out of its proper position. □ [V P ] My underskirt had ridden up into a thick band around my hips.
rid|er ◆◇◇ /ra I də r / (riders )
1 N‑COUNT A rider is someone who rides a horse, a bicycle, or a motorcycle as a hobby or job. You can also refer to someone who is riding a horse, a bicycle, or a motorcycle as a rider. □ She is a very good and experienced rider.
2 N‑COUNT A rider is a statement that is added to another statement, especially one which contains a change, an explanation, or further information. □ [+ on ] He said he could see no necessity to add any rider on the use of firearms by police. □ [+ to ] America conventionally attaches a rider to any aid, to the effect that it must not be used in certain territories.