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help - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'help' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Help [ v. i.]
- To lend aid or assistance; to contribute strength or means; to avail or be of use; to assist.
2 . Help [ v. t.]
- To furnish with strength or means for the successful performance of any action or the attainment of any object; to aid; to assist; as, to help a man in his work; to help one to remember; -- the following infinitive is commonly used without to; as, "Help me scale yon balcony."
- To furnish with the means of deliverance from trouble; as, to help one in distress; to help one out of prison.
- To furnish with relief, as in pain or disease; to be of avail against; -- sometimes with of before a word designating the pain or disease, and sometimes having such a word for the direct object.
- To change for the better; to remedy.
- To prevent; to hinder; as, the evil approaches, and who can help it?
- To forbear; to avoid.
- To wait upon, as the guests at table, by carving and passing food.
- Strength or means furnished toward promoting an object, or deliverance from difficulty or distress; aid; ^; also, the person or thing furnishing the aid; as, he gave me a help of fifty dollars.
- Remedy; relief; as, there is no help for it.
- A helper; one hired to help another; also, thew hole force of hired helpers in any business.
- Specifically, a domestic servant, man or woman.

Meaning of 'help' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . help [ n]
Meaning (1):
- the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
Example in sentence:
  • could not walk without assistance;
  • he gave me an assist with the housework;
  • offered his help in unloading;
  • rescue party went to their aid
Meaning (2):
- a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
Example in sentence:
  • his job was to give technical assistance over the phone;
  • visual aids in teaching
Meaning (3):
- a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
Example in sentence:
  • my invaluable assistant;
  • they hired additional help to finish the work
Meaning (4):
- a means of serving
Example in sentence:
  • of no avail;
  • there's no help for it
5 . help [ v]
Meaning (5):
- give help or assistance; be of service
Example in sentence:
  • Can you help me carry this table?;
  • Everyone helped out during the earthquake;
  • She never helps around the house
Meaning (6):
- abstain from doing; always used with a negative
Example in sentence:
  • I can't help myself--I have to smoke;
  • She could not help watching the sad spectacle
Meaning (7):
- help to some food; help with food or drink
Example in sentence:
  • I served him three times, and after that he helped himself
Meaning (8):
- improve; change for the better
Example in sentence:
  • New slipcovers will help the old living room furniture
Meaning (9):
- take or use
Example in sentence:
  • She helped herself to some of the office supplies
Meaning (10):
- improve the condition of
Example in sentence:
  • These pills will help the patient
Meaning (11):
- contribute to the furtherance of
Example in sentence:
  • This money will help the development of literacy in developing countries
Meaning (12):
- be of use
Example in sentence:
  • This will help to prevent accidents

Nearby Words:

helamys helcoplasty held hele helena helenin heliac heliacal heliacally helianthin

See 'help' also in:

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