Phrasal Verb: 'Do away with' (Eliminate)

This is a three-part phrasal verb. It consists of a verb, an adverb, and a preposition. In English, we call these "transitive phrasal-prepositional verbs." That is a mouthful, right? Basically, it means it always needs an object. You cannot just say "I did away." You must say what you removed. Crucially, this verb is inseparable. You cannot put the object in the middle. You cannot say do it away with. The three words must stay together like glue. It is like a three-person bike; everyone must stay in line. If you move one part, the whole thing breaks. Even native speakers rarely mess this part up. It just feels wrong to split them.

1. 1Using this phrase is quite simple once you learn the order. Follow these steps to build your sentences:
2. 2Start with your subject (The company, I, They).
3. 3Add the verb do in the correct tense.
4. 4Add the adverb away.
5. 5Add the preposition with.
6. 6Finish with the object you are removing.
7. 7Example: The school (subject) + did (past tense) + away + with + uniforms (object).
8. 8Remember, do is an irregular verb. You will use do, does, did, done, or doing. It depends entirely on your timeframe. If you are talking about a future plan, use will do away with. If it already happened, use did away with. It is as flexible as a yoga instructor.

Use this when talking about removing systems or regulations. It works perfectly for outdated technology or old traditions. Imagine you are in a job interview. You could say, "I did away with manual filing at my last job." This sounds much more professional than "I threw the papers away." Use it for habits you want to quit too. "I want to do away with my late-night snacking." It implies a permanent, intentional end to something. In formal contexts, it replaces the word abolish. In casual contexts, it replaces get rid of. It sits right in the middle of the formal-informal scale. It is the "business casual" of phrasal verbs.

Do not use this for physical trash in a bin. You would not do away with an empty soda can. For that, just use throw away or recycle. It is also not for temporary pauses. If you stop drinking coffee for a week, do not use it. Use it only for permanent removals or major changes. Avoid using it for people in a professional setting. Saying you want to do away with a colleague sounds quite threatening. In older literature, it actually meant to kill someone. Unless you are writing a murder mystery, stick to objects and rules.

One big mistake is forgetting the with. Learners often say, "We should do away the tax." This is incorrect and sounds very confusing to locals. Another error is trying to separate the parts. "We did the rules away with" will get you some strange looks. Think of it as a single, long word. Also, watch your tenses carefully. Some people use doed instead of did. Remember, do is irregular, so keep your past tenses sharp. Finally, do not use it for people you dislike. It makes you sound like a movie villain from the 1940s. Stick to policies, habits, and old machinery.

How does it differ from get rid of? Get rid of is much broader. You can get rid of a cold or a bad smell. Do away with is usually for intentional, systematic changes. What about abolish? Abolish is very formal and usually involves laws. You abolish slavery or a specific national tax. Do away with is slightly softer and more common in conversation. Then there is discard. This is usually for physical items you no longer need. You discard an old shirt, but you do away with a dress code. Each one has its own little neighborhood in the language.