riddance

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.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪdəns/

• Audio (Southern England):

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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 Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     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.

• good riddance
• good riddance to bad rubbish

• “riddance”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

• candider, cider-and