do away with
To put an end to; stop.
The teachers want to do away with cheating in their school.
The city has decided to do away with overhead wires.
It may never be possible to do away with all forms of prejudice and discrimination in the world.
To kill; murder.
The robbers did away with their victims.
eat away at
To psychologically gnaw at; to worry someone.
Fear of the comprehensive examination was eating away at Sam.
eat away
To rot, rust, or destroy.
Rust was eating away the pipe.
Cancer ate away the healthy flesh.
To gradually consume.
The ocean waves were gradually eating the volcanic rocks away until they turned into black sand.
edge away
To withdraw or retreat gradually.
Frightened by the growling tiger guarding its catch, the hunter carefully edged away.
elbow one's way
To force entry into a place by using one's elbows.
The bus was so crowded that, in order to get off in time, we had to elbow our way to the exit door.
every which way
any which way
In all directions.
Bricks and boards were scattered in confusion on the ground every which way, just as they had fallen after the tornado.
explain away
To explain (something) so that it does not seem true or important.
John explained away his unfinished homework by showing the teacher his broken arm in a cast.
It is hard to explain away Abraham Lincoln's dream about being dead, which he had a few days before he was shot.
The man could not explain away the gun and the marked money from the bank robbery that the police found in his car.
fade away
To diminish gradually in time or distance.
The memory of that unpleasant experience has slowly faded away.
The music of the band gradually faded away as the parade passed down the street.