remove1 verbremove2 noun
removere‧move1 /rɪˈmuːv/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL verb [transitive] 
WORD ORIGINremove
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French removoir, from Latin removere, from movere ‘to move’VERB TABLE
remove
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | remove |
| he, she, it | removes | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | removed |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have removed |
| he, she, it | has removed | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had removed |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will remove |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have removed |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am removing |
| he, she, it | is removing | |
| you, we, they | are removing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was removing |
| you, we, they | were removing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been removing |
| he, she, it | has been removing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been removing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be removing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been removing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Remove all the fat, then cut the meat into cubes.
- Remove all the packaging from the pizza and place it in a preheated oven.
- Remove any dirt from the negative before printing the photograph.
- Remove the spice bag before serving the soup.
- Cut the fruit in half and remove the seeds.
- He opened the torch and removed the bulb.
- Irvin paused to remove his sunglasses.
- Make sure that the engine has cooled down before removing the radiator cap.
- Please do not remove this notice.
- She was in the hospital, having a lump removed from her breast.
- Someone had removed some papers from the file.
- The new technology will make it easier for surgeons to remove abnormal growths before they cause problems.
- The old paint will have to be removed first.
- The plan will remove unneeded layers of bureaucracy.
- The relics were removed from the house and taken to a local museum for identification.
- What's the best way to remove red wine stains?
- You can use lemon juice to remove the grease.
- Before going to sleep always remove all traces of mascara with a good eye make-up remover lotion.
- Cokley managed to remove a small pocket knife from his pocket and cut Deering on the leg.
- If it is not possible to remove the hazard, adequate warnings or instructions will be relevant here.
- In retirement these resentments were removed.
- Nitrates can be diluted by regular water changes, removed by bacteria or various resins.
- The chief said he had decided to remove the Muni buses from Arguello.
- When this dominant fish dies or is removed, his place is taken by the next man on the totem pole.
THESAURUS
to make something no longer exist, especially something that was causing problems: · Some stains are difficult to remove with ordinary washing powder.· All the obstacles to an agreement have now been removed.
to remove someone or something that you do not want. Get rid of is much more common than remove in everyday English, but is usually only used in active sentences: · They managed to get rid of all the weeds.· It was almost impossible to get rid of him.
to completely get rid of something that you do not want, especially because it is unnecessary or causing problems: · If you book online, this eliminates the need for a ticket.· The new system will help to eliminate costly delays.
to completely get rid of a disease or a problem: · The disease has been eradicated from most of Europe.· Street crime has almost been eradicated.
to remove something that has been written on a computer, or stored in a computer: · Do you want to delete this file?· Press 3 to delete the messages on your answerphone.
to remove recorded sounds or pictures from a tape, or writing from paper: · Shall I erase this video?· It’s better to cross out a mistake than to try to erase it.
to remove a part from a film, book, speech etc: · The most violent scenes were cut.· Parts of his original speech were cut.
Longman Language Activatorto remove something from inside something else to take something from inside a container or place: take out something: · She opened her briefcase and took out a letter.· I need to get to a cash machine and take out some money.· We'll have to take out the engine to fix the gearbox.take something out: · Roland reached inside his jacket and took his passport out.take something out of something: · She took a few coins out of her purse.
to take something from inside something. Remove is more formal than take out , and is used especially in writing: · Cut the fruit in half and remove the seeds.· He opened the torch and removed the bulb.remove from: · Someone had removed some papers from the file.
to remove something from deep inside something else, often when this is difficult: get something out: · The spare wheel was right at the back of the boot under a load of suitcases, so it took me ages to get it out.get something out of something: · It's important to get all the dirt out of the wound.get out something: · If you want to get out the old photo albums, you're going to have to dig in the bottom of that trunk.
to remove a natural substance from the ground or from a plant, or to take out someone's tooth: · 42 tons of gold were extracted at the mine in 1987.· She had to have three teeth extracted.extract something from something: · The nuts are crushed in order to extract the oil from them.· The bird uses its long beak to extract nectar from the flowers.
to remove something from the inside of something else, using a knife: cut out something: · Make sure you cut out any tough, gristly parts before you cook the meat.cut something out: · I knew I would have to cut the bullet out before the wound became infected.
to suddenly take something out from a place where it cannot be seen, for example from a pocket, bag etc: pull out something: · The man pulled out a gun and fired three shots.pull something out: · She pulled a notebook out and scribbled a few notes.
to remove something that is fixed or joined to something else to remove something that is fixed to something else: take something off: · I took the lid off and tasted the soup.take off something: · He took off the old handle and fixed a new one in its place.
to take off something that forms a piece or part of something else or that covers something else. Remove is more formal than take off , and is used especially in writing: · Remove all the fat, then cut the meat into cubes.· Make sure that the engine has cooled down before removing the radiator cap.remove from: · She was in the hospital, having a lump removed from her breast.
formal to remove a piece or part of something that is designed to be removed: · Please detach the last section of this form, fill it in, and return it to us.· The control unit can be detached from the base.
to remove a part of something by breaking, tearing, cutting etc it: break/tear/cut off something: · A van bumped into us, damaging one of the headlights and breaking off the aerial.· Tear off the coupon and send it to this address.· Winds reached over 100 mph, tearing off roofs and flattening trees.· He used to catch spiders and cut off their legs.break/tear/cut something off: · Gerard broke the handle off accidentally when he was trying to open the door.· I'd like to keep this part -- is it alright if I tear it off?· He cut the top off the coconut.· He cut all his hair off as a protest.
to remove fruit from trees or flowers from the ground: · Migrant workers come to the orchard each autumn to pick apples.· I'll pick a few flowers to take to mum's.
to remove something such as paint, dirt etc from a surface: take off something · She was told to go to the washroom and take off her lipstick.take something off something · A standard detergent should take most of the grease off the surface.take something off · Paintstripper is the easiest way to take old paint off.
to remove something such as paint, dirt, or marks from a surface: get something off: · I don't know how I'm going to get this old varnish off.get something off something: · How do you get mold stains off the wall?
to take something off a surface, especially dirt, marks, or something that should not be there: · You can use lemon juice to remove the grease.remove something from something: · Remove any dirt from the negative before printing the photograph.
to remove something from a surface by wiping it or rubbing it with a cloth: wipe/rub something off: · I wiped the paint off with my handkerchief.wipe/rub something off something: · Mitchell tried to rub the dirt off the nameplate with his gloved thumb.· He wiped the dust off the piano.wipe/rub off something: · She picked up one of the shoes and carefully wiped off the mud.
to remove something from a surface by rubbing it with something sharp such as your fingernail or a knife: scrape/scratch off something: · We started by scraping off the old wallpaper.· It took a long time to scrape off all the dirt and bits of food from the top of the cooker.· Someone had scratched some of the paint off my car.scrape something/it/them off: · The car was covered in rust and Joey had to scrape it off with a knife.· Lottery cards have silver panels which you scratch off to see if you have won a prize.
to remove something such as the skin of a fruit or a piece of paper from a surface, by gently pulling it: peel off something: · Slice each avocado in half, then peel off the skin.peel something off: · When I peeled the label off I discovered that the old price was $2 cheaper.
to remove something that is covering the whole of a surface: · We stripped the doors down to the bare wood.strip something off: · I think we should strip the old varnish off and see what the wood's like underneath.
to remove dirt from a piece of clothing or material to remove a mark from a piece of clothing or material: get something out of something: · What can I use to get these wine stains our of the tablecloth?get something out: · It's a pity about the mark on your shirt. Dry cleaning will probably get it out.
British informal to remove a mark which is difficult to remove from a piece of clothing or material: · I've washed the tablecloth three times, but I can't seem to shift these stains.· Blood stains are very difficult to shift.
if dirt or a mark comes out , it is removed by washing or cleaning: · Use plenty of washing powder otherwise mud and grass stains won't come out.
if dirt or a mark washes out , it is removed by washing: · A lot of hair dyes are designed to wash out after three or four washes.
to remove writing, film, or music from paper, a tape etc to remove part or all of a document in a computer, so that it no longer exists: · I think you should delete the second paragraph.· The computer automatically deletes any files you have not saved.
British /erase American to remove writing or pictures from paper by rubbing with a piece of rubber, or to remove writing or pictures from a board by rubbing with a cloth: · Use a pencil so you can erase your mistakes.rub something out: · I had to rub the whole thing out and start again.rub out something: · Someone had rubbed out my name.
to draw a line through a word to show that it was a mistake or that you want to change what you have written: cross out something: · She crossed out the names of people who had left.cross something out: · That's not right. Cross it out and start again.
to remove writing, film, or music that has been recorded on a machine: · Is there any way I can erase this videotape so no one will see what's on it?· Somehow the magnets had erased the entire cassette.
to remove a section from a computer document, piece of writing, or film: · Some of the descriptions are a bit long and should be cut.· A couple of the scenes had to be cut because they were too violent.
to remove something when you are preparing a book, piece of film etc for printing or broadcasting. : edit something out: · If you make a mistake, don't worry - we can edit it out before the interview is shown.edit out something: · They had edited out several of the most important points in the article.
the process of removing something: removal of · Treatment usually consists of removal of the tumour combined with drug treatment.· Removal of the brake pads is a simple operation which can be done with a few basic tools.
the process of removing a natural substance from the ground or from a plant, or removing a tooth from someone's body: extraction of: · The protesters are opposed to the extraction of minerals in the area.· Dentists will only resort to extraction of a tooth when all other treatments have failed.
a substance that is used to remove something: stain/paint/make-up etc remover a substance that is used to remove stains, marks, make-up etc: · You can usually get coffee stains out with a stain remover.
: paint/wallpaper stripper a substance that is used to remove paint or wallpaper: · Always wear gloves when working with paint stripper.
to take something from the place where it is to take something from the place where it is: · Have you taken my keys? I can't find them.take something from/off/down etc: · He took a dictionary down from the shelf.· Her camera was taken from the reception desk while no one was looking.· If anyone would like to take the uneaten food home, they're welcome to do so.
to take something from a place where it cannot be seen, for example from a pocket, drawer or container: take out something: · He reached into his pocket and took out a handkerchief.· Today, I'm going to show you how to take out summer-flowering bulbs to store them for the winter.take something out: · Sally opened a pack of cigarettes, took one out and lit it.· I keep the forms in this folder here, so just take one out if you need one. take something out of something: · Take that chewing gum out of your mouth!· Take the sachet out of the water after 3 minutes.
to quickly take something from a place where it was hidden or could not be seen: pull out something: · He pulled out a gun and fired three shots.pull something out: · I saw her pull a bag out from under the seat.pull something out of something: · She pulled a pen out of her bag and began to scribble furiously.
formal to take something away from the place where it is, especially something that you do not want or something that should not be there: · Please do not remove this notice.· The new technology will make it easier for surgeons to remove abnormal growths before they cause problems. remove something from something: · Remove all the packaging from the pizza and place it in a preheated oven.· The relics were removed from the house and taken to a local museum for identification.
to take something out of something else, especially slowly or carefully - used especially in literature: · The ambassador frowned and withdrew the cigar from his mouth.· She withdrew her hand from his grasp, and turned to leave the room.
informal to take something from a place where it is difficult to get things from: fish something out: · The doctor fished his glasses out again and looked closely at Murphy's ear.fish something out from something: · The young man fished a dirty bowl out from under the bed.fish out something: · Brody fished out a pack of cigarettes and lit one.fish something out of something: · I fished it out of the trash -- it's a perfectly good tea kettle.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
The Treasury Department plans to remove older coins from circulation and replace them with new ones. His style was far removed (=very different) from that of Picasso. The police threatened to have protestors forcibly removed. The lump was surgically removed.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
· Will this remove the barriers to change?
· He opened the door, took off his cap, and threw it on a hook.
The Treasury Department plans to remove older coins from circulation and replace them with new ones.· She took off her clothes and slipped into bed.
· She took off her coat and went into the kitchen.
· First, remove any dirt from the cut.
His style was far removed (=very different) from that of Picasso. The police threatened to have protestors forcibly removed.· Elsie took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.
· The product removes greasy marks from clothes.
· Opening the border removed all obstacles to trade and travel between the two countries.
· He promised to lift restrictions on press freedom.
(also shift a stain informal)· He was trying to remove a stain from his jacket.· Fruit juice stains can be hard to shift.
The lump was surgically removed.· We seem to be discovering here a mythic fauna not far removed from that provided in the descriptions of Aristeas.· Don Robey built an empire worth millions in a city far removed from the main line of entertainment.· The popular image of a university is far removed from reality.· The decisionmaking process which propels these large projects is far removed from the intended beneficiaries.· They are far removed by more than distance from their roots in Ayrshire.· He is too far removed from its formative processes.· Julio Gallo Winery, a California concern far removed from his Kansas home.
NOUN· The Government plans to remove the statutory barrier to the formation of partnerships between solicitors and non-solicitors.· Of course, a customs union would spur even more growth if it totally removed barriers even to outsiders.· The theoretical basis for this rests on economic models which predict that there are net welfare gains available from removing these barriers.· From this point of view the struggle to remove barriers could be regarded as the seed bed for human arts.· The government should aim principally to remove barriers between people and economic opportunity.· These benefits are held to stem from three separate but connected effects of removing the barriers to free movement.· Jubilee 2000 remove the barrier of international debt.
· But the appointment of a receiver at Birmingham has removed any obstacle.· They must learn how to identify and remove obstacles to performance.· In the past, other things being equal, improvement in a man's income removed obstacles to marriage.· Instead of having managers and supervisors try to control employee behavior, have them focus on removing obstacles to employee performance.· As soon as the blindfold is applied, remove the obstacles and watch the children going over imaginary items.· The adaptation work should help to overcome or remove any obstacles that prevent you from enjoying the use of your present facilities.· A fail-safe system triggered a red signal, giving the driver of the train time to stop and remove the obstacle.· The crew also carries out routine river checks and removes obstacles which may be dangerous.
· It also removed many of the restrictions imposed during the period of military rule between 1964 and 1985.· And he wants to remove the restrictions on how much money a party can spend on its own candidates.· The first will aim to remove restrictions on where the funds can invest, and who can manage them.· But Clinton said he vetoed that bill, partly because Republicans removed restrictions on corporate raids on pension funds.· This ability removes the restriction on context-free grammars that only a finite set of grammatical categories are allowed.· The climate of deregulation made it necessary to remove restrictions on the ability of building societies to compete in financial markets.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► cousin once/twice etc removed
- The world of TV sitcoms is far removed from reality.
- Action was being undertaken, but it was far removed from the radical surgery that seemed to be needed.
- Gironella is far removed from such light humour.
- He was far removed from the centralism embodied by his predecessors Ernest Bevin and Arthur Deakin.
- However, the content is far removed from the children's lives.
- The actual policy response to the C D P analysis was far removed from the radical prescriptions of the activists.
- The decisionmaking process which propels these large projects is far removed from the intended beneficiaries.
- The passenger was far removed from an anonymous piece of card, and the parachutes correspondingly larger to slow the descent speed.
- This will involve trade union negotiations in areas that may be far removed from their traditional expertise.
WORD FAMILYnounremovalremoveradjectiveremovableverbremove
1take away to take something away from, out of, or off the place where it is: Remove the old wallpaper and fill any holes in the walls.remove something from something Reference books may not be removed from the library.2get rid of to get rid of something so that it does not exist any longer: a cleaner that will remove wine stains The college removed rules that prevented women from enrolling.3from a job to force someone out of an important position or dismiss them from a jobremove somebody from something Congress could remove the president from office.4clothes formal to take off a piece of clothing: He removed his hat and gloves.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that someone takes clothing off rather than removes it:· Is it OK if I take my coat off?5be far removed from something to be very different from something: The events in the newspaper article were far removed from reality.6cousin once/twice etc removed the child, grandchild etc of your cousin, or your parent’s, grandparent’s etc cousinTHESAURUS– Meaning 2remove to make something no longer exist, especially something that was causing problems: · Some stains are difficult to remove with ordinary washing powder.· All the obstacles to an agreement have now been removed.get rid of somebody/something to remove someone or something that you do not want. Get rid of is much more common than remove in everyday English, but is usually only used in active sentences: · They managed to get rid of all the weeds.· It was almost impossible to get rid of him.eliminate to completely get rid of something that you do not want, especially because it is unnecessary or causing problems: · If you book online, this eliminates the need for a ticket.· The new system will help to eliminate costly delays.eradicate to completely get rid of a disease or a problem: · The disease has been eradicated from most of Europe.· Street crime has almost been eradicated.delete to remove something that has been written on a computer, or stored in a computer: · Do you want to delete this file?· Press 3 to delete the messages on your answerphone.erase to remove recorded sounds or pictures from a tape, or writing from paper: · Shall I erase this video?· It’s better to cross out a mistake than to try to erase it.cut to remove a part from a film, book, speech etc: · The most violent scenes were cut.· Parts of his original speech were cut.remove1 verbremove2 noun
removeremove2 AWL noun [countable, uncountable] especially British English formal EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- At several removes from the self in the glass, opposite.
- Jayojit, the economist, arrives in Calcutta already at one remove from his existence.
- Yet, at one remove, his thesis is correct.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The Treasury Department plans to remove older coins from circulation and replace them with new ones. His style was far removed (=very different) from that of Picasso. The police threatened to have protestors forcibly removed. The lump was surgically removed.
a distance or amount by which two things are separatedat a remove· Will this remove the barriers to change?
· He opened the door, took off his cap, and threw it on a hook.
The Treasury Department plans to remove older coins from circulation and replace them with new ones.· She took off her clothes and slipped into bed.
· She took off her coat and went into the kitchen.
· First, remove any dirt from the cut.
His style was far removed (=very different) from that of Picasso. The police threatened to have protestors forcibly removed.· Elsie took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.
· The product removes greasy marks from clothes.
· Opening the border removed all obstacles to trade and travel between the two countries.
· He promised to lift restrictions on press freedom.
(also shift a stain informal)· He was trying to remove a stain from his jacket.· Fruit juice stains can be hard to shift.
The lump was surgically removed. The X-ray operator works at a safe remove in a separate room.