help
help
(help )Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense helps , present participle helping , past tense, past participle helped
1. verb
If you help someone, you make it easier for them to do something, for example by doing part of the work for them or by giving them advice or money.
He has helped to raise a lot of money. [V to-inf/inf]
My mum used to help cook the meals for the children. [V to-inf/inf]
America's priority is to help nations defend themselves. [V n inf/to-inf]
You can of course help by giving them a donation directly. [VERB]
I was only trying to help. [VERB]
If you're not willing to help me, I'll find somebody who will. [VERB noun]
aid, back, support, second, encourage, promote, assist, relieve, stand by, befriend, cooperate with, abet, lend a hand, succour, lend a helping hand, give someone a leg up [informal]Help is also a noun.
Thanks very much for your help.
Always ask the pharmacist for help.
Some of them have qualified for help with monthly payments.
2. verb
If you say that something helps, you mean that it makes something easier to do or get, or that it improves a situation to some extent.
The right style of swimsuit can help to hide, minimise or emphasise what you want it to. [V to-inf/inf]
Building more motorways and by-passes will help the environment by reducing pollution and traffic jams in towns and cities. [VERB noun]
Understanding these rare molecules will help chemists to find out what is achievable. [V n to-inf/inf]
I could cook your supper, though, if that would help. [VERB]
3. verb
If you help someone go somewhere or move in some way, you give them support so that they can move more easily.
Martin helped Tanya over the rail. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
I allowed her to help me to my feet. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Come and help me up! [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
She helped her sit up in bed so she could hold her baby. [V n inf/to-inf]
assist, aid, support, give a leg up [informal]4. verb
5. singular noun
If you say that someone or something has been a help or has been some help, you mean that they have helped you to solve a problem.
Thank you. You've been a great help already.
...a quality which will be a help rather than a hindrance to them.
She's been a lot of help.
The books were not much help.
6. uncountable noun
7. uncountable noun
8. verb
If you help yourself to something, you serve yourself or you take it for yourself. If someone tells you to help yourself, they are telling you politely to serve yourself anything you want or to take anything you want.
There's bread on the table. Help yourself. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
Just help yourself to leaflets. [VERB pronoun-reflexive + to]
9. verb
[informal]
Has somebody helped himself to some film star's diamonds? [VERB pronoun-reflexive + to]
10. See also helping
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Phrasal verbs:
