remove

/rɪˈmuːv/
to take away or eliminate something

Please remove the old furniture before moving in the new one.

This example shows the action of taking away unwanted items to make space for new ones.


general

to take something away from a place or position

She removed the stains from her dress with a special cleaner.

This shows the action of eliminating stains using a cleaning agent.

The manager decided to remove the outdated policy from the company handbook.

This illustrates the act of eliminating an old rule from a document.

Can be used both literally and metaphorically.

Technology
technical

to delete or erase something, especially from a computer or digital device

He accidentally removed the important files from his laptop.

This shows the action of deleting files from a computer.

Commonly used in computing contexts.

Collocations

remove fromto take something away from a place or positionremove completelyto eliminate something entirelyremove the obstacleto clear a blockage or hindrance

Related Phrases

remove oneselfphrase
to leave a place or situation
remove the doubtphrase
to eliminate uncertainty

Pro Tip

Common Usage

Use 'remove' when you want to emphasize the action of taking something away or eliminating it.

Gold Rule

Context Matters

The meaning of 'remove' can vary based on the context, so pay attention to the surrounding words.

Word Origin

From Middle English 'removen', from Old French 'remouvoir', from Latin 'removere' meaning 'to move back or away'.

Usage Notes

Can be used both literally and metaphorically. Often used in contexts involving physical objects, digital data, or abstract concepts.

Word Breakdown

re-
back or again
prefix
+
-move
to move
root
English Dictionary