1336 Do away with (something)

Explanation

To abolish, eliminate, or get rid of something.

Origin

Do away with emerged in the 16th century.
Do here means 'to put' or 'to cause'.
Away signifies removal or distance.
With connects the action to the object being removed.
Essentially, it means to put something away, leading to the sense of elimination or abolishment.
It often implies removing something considered unnecessary, outdated, or undesirable.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

Ditch (To abandon or get rid of)
Scrap (To discard as useless)
Chuck (To throw away, informal)
Bin (UK slang, to throw away)
Nix (To cancel or forbid)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

Get the fuck rid of (Strong emphasis on removal)
Trash (To destroy or discard forcefully, can be vulgar depending on context)

Milder/Standard:

Remove
Discontinue
Phase out

Situational Appropriateness

Can be used in both informal and semi-formal contexts.
Abolish or eliminate are preferred in very formal writing or speeches.
Appropriate for discussing changes in policies, procedures, or physical objects.

Misunderstanding Warnings

Non-native speakers might confuse it with do without, which means to manage without having something. Do away with means actively getting rid of it.

Examples

The school decided to do away with the old uniform policy.
Many people wish they could do away with taxes.
It's time we do away with these inefficient procedures.

Dialogue

Manager: I think we should do away with the weekly progress report meeting.

Employee: Really? Why?

Manager: It takes up too much time, and we can share updates via email. Let's try doing away with it for a month.

Employee: Okay, sounds reasonable. Let's see how it goes.

Response Patterns

Agreement: Good idea., It's about time., I agree, we don't need that anymore.
Disagreement/Questioning: Why? What's wrong with it?, Are you sure that's necessary?, I don't think we should.
Clarification: Do away with it completely?, What will replace it?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After suggesting doing away with something:

Others might ask for the reason (Why do you want to get rid of it?).
They might ask about alternatives (What will we use instead?).
Actions might involve discussing the implications or starting the process of removal/abolishment.

After hearing agreement:

The suggester might elaborate on the plan (Okay, so the first step is...).

Conversation Starter

Can be used to start a discussion about change, but usually within an existing context (e.g., discussing rules, procedures, objects). Not typically a standalone opener.

Intonation

Stress typically falls on do, away, and the object being done away with.
Let's DO aWAY with the OLD RULES.
The tone is often decisive or suggestive.

Generation Differences

Widely understood across generations. Perhaps slightly less common among very young speakers who might prefer get rid of or ditch.

Regional Variations

Common in most major English-speaking regions (US, UK, Canada, Australia).

Come across (as...)

🎲 Figure out (a problem/person)

[1336] Do away with (something)