" Basically, I might say: "I need to eliminate that tick which is been biting me all day." I would not say: "I have to be free from that tick." And that's why I might use "rid of" with a cold, rather then "free" (irrespective of whether or not of https://share.evernote.com/note/c797b48b-9e6d-224c-1b35-99cb7e6200bb