Help Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Published on March 6, 2024
Help means to provide assistance or support to someone or something. e.g., She offered to help me with the project.
Table of Contents
Help Definitions
To assist or aid.
Can you help me carry these boxes?
To rescue or save.
Firefighters helped those trapped in the building.
To alleviate or make less difficult.
This guide will help simplify the process.
To cure or relieve.
This medication should help relieve the pain.
To make easier.
Automation helps to make complex tasks more manageable.
To contribute or be beneficial.
Regular exercise can help improve your health.
To serve or wait on.
The waiter helped guests to their seats.
To provide what is necessary.
The fund helps support local charities.
To give or provide.
She helped her advice to those in need.
To prevent or avoid.
Wearing a helmet can help prevent injuries.
To give assistance to (someone); make it easier for (someone) to do something; aid
She helped me with my project. I helped her find her book.
To give material or financial aid to
Help the homeless.
To wait on, as in a store or restaurant
Please help the customer in aisle 20.
To contribute to the effectiveness or improvement of (something); improve or advance
Tax breaks to help create jobs.
New ways to help the environment.
A remark that didn't help the situation.
To ease the pain or discomfort of; relieve
Medication to help your cold.
To refrain from; avoid or resist. Used with can or cannot
Couldn't help laughing.
To be of service; give assistance
I made a cake, and my friend helped.
To be of use or provide relief
He has a bad back, and physical therapy hasn't helped.
The action of helping; assistance
Do you need help with that package?.
One that helps
You've been a great help. A food processor is a help to the serious cook.
(Archaic) A person employed to help, especially a farm worker or domestic servant.
Such employees considered as a group. Often used with the.
(uncountable) Action given to provide assistance; aid.
I need some help with my homework.
Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.
He was a great help to me when I was moving house.
I've printed out a list of math helps.
Documentation provided with computer software, etc. and accessed using the computer.
I can't find anything in the help about rotating an image.
One or more people employed to help in the maintenance of a house or the operation of a farm or enterprise.
The help is coming round this morning to clean.
Most of the hired help is seasonal, for the harvest.
(uncountable) Correction of deficits, as by psychological counseling or medication or social support or remedial training.
His suicide attempts were a cry for help.
He really needs help in handling customer complaints.
“He’s a real road-rager.” / “Yup, he really needs help, maybe anger management.”
(transitive) To provide assistance to (someone or something).
He helped his grandfather cook breakfast.
(transitive) To assist (a person) in getting something, especially food or drink at table; used with to.
It is polite to help your guests to food before serving yourself.
Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge.
(transitive) To contribute in some way to.
The white paint on the walls helps make the room look brighter.
If you want to get a job, it helps to have some prior experience.
(intransitive) To provide assistance.
She was struggling with the groceries, so I offered to help.
Please, help!
(transitive) To avoid; to prevent; to refrain from; to restrain (oneself). Usually used in nonassertive contexts with can.
We couldn’t help noticing that you were late.
We couldn’t help but notice that you were late.
She’s trying not to smile, but she can’t help herself.
Can I help it if I'm so beautiful?
Can I help it that I fell in love with you?
Are they going to beat us?
Not if I can help it!
She never does more than she can help.
A cry of distress or an urgent request for assistance
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.
The true calamus helps coughs.
To change for the better; to remedy.
Cease to lament for what thou canst not help.
To prevent; to hinder; as, the evil approaches, and who can help it?
To forbear; to avoid.
I can not help remarking the resemblance betwixt him and our author.
To wait upon, as the guests at table, by carving and passing food.
The god of learning and of lightWould want a god himself to help him out.
To lend aid or assistance; to contribute strength or means; to avail or be of use; to assist.
A generous present helps to persuade, as well as an agreeable person.
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.
Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man.
God is . . . a very present help in trouble.
Virtue is a friend and a help to nature.
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.
The activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose;
He gave me an assist with the housework
Could not walk without assistance
Rescue party went to their aid
Offered his help in unloading
A resource;
Visual aids in teaching
Economic assistance to depressed areas
A means of serving;
Of no avail
There's no help for it
A person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose;
My invaluable assistant
They hired additional help to finish the work
Give help or assistance; be of service;
Everyone helped out during the earthquake
Can you help me carry this table?
She never helps around the house
Be of use;
This will help to prevent accidents
Improve the condition of;
These pills will help the patient
Abstain from doing; always used with a negative;
I can't help myself--I have to smoke
She could not help watching the sad spectacle
Contribute to the furtherance of;
This money will help the development of literacy in developing countries
Improve; change for the better;
New slipcovers will help the old living room furniture
Help to some food; help with food or drink;
I served him three times, and after that he helped himself
Take or use;
She helped herself to some of the office supplies
Help Snonyms
Facilitate
To make an action or process easier.
The program is designed to facilitate learning.
Aid
To provide what is necessary to achieve a task.
She aided the children with their homework.
Support
To bear all or part of the weight; to hold up.
The beams support the roof.
Contribute
To give (something, especially money or time) to help achieve or provide something.
They contributed money to the charity.
Assist
To give support or aid.
He assisted her in moving the furniture.
Benefit
To improve or enhance the well-being of.
Regular exercise benefits your health.
Serve
To be of use in achieving or satisfying.
He served as a mentor to me.
Relieve
To alleviate or remove (pain or distress).
This medicine will relieve your symptoms.
Boost
To help or encourage (something) to increase or improve.
This news will boost their morale.
Bolster
To support or strengthen.
They bolstered the team's spirits with their cheers.
Help Idioms & Phrases
Help out
To assist in making something less difficult.
Can you help out with the cleaning?
Help oneself to
To take something freely.
Please help yourself to some snacks.
Beyond help
Impossible to be corrected or improved.
The old car was beyond help and had to be scrapped.
Help in hand
To offer assistance readily.
She always had a helping hand for those in need.
Help oneself
To serve or take something without needing permission.
At the party, guests were told to help themselves to food and drinks.
Help along
To assist someone or something in progressing.
Gentle encouragement helped him along his recovery journey.
Cry for help
An action or statement that shows someone needs assistance.
Her sudden silence was a cry for help.
With the help of
By means of assistance from someone or something.
He completed the project with the help of his friends.
Can't help but
Unable to do anything else except.
I can't help but wonder what happened.
So help me (God)
A phrase used to emphasize sincerity.
I'll finish this task today, so help me.
Help (someone) out of a situation
To assist someone in escaping a difficult situation.
His quick thinking helped us out of a tricky situation.
Help (someone) on with
To assist someone in putting something on.
He helped her on with her coat.
Help across
To assist someone in getting across something.
The scout helped the elderly woman across the street.
Every little helps
Even the smallest contributions are useful.
We all donated a small amount, knowing that every little helps.
Help to do something
To assist in accomplishing a task.
He helped to organize the fundraiser.
Past help
Beyond the point where assistance can make a difference.
After the flood, many homes were past help.
Can't help doing something
To do something involuntarily.
She can't help smiling when she sees a puppy.
Help (someone) off with
To assist someone in removing something.
She helped her little brother off with his boots.
Seek help
To actively look for assistance.
If the symptoms persist, you should seek help from a professional.
No help for it
Nothing can be done to change the situation.
The decision has been made, and there's no help for it now.
Help Example Sentences
A good night's sleep can help boost your mood.
The scholarship helps cover tuition costs.
This cream helps soothe skin irritation.
She couldn't help but laugh at the joke.
Installing a security system helps deter burglars.
Using a map helps to avoid getting lost.
Lifeguards are trained to help in emergencies.
Meditation can help reduce stress.
Donating blood helps save lives.
Teachers are always willing to help students succeed.
Common Curiosities
What is a stressed syllable in "help"?
Since "help" has only one syllable, that syllable is stressed: help.
How is "help" used in a sentence?
"Help" can be used to indicate providing assistance, e.g., Can you help me move this table?
How do we divide "help" into syllables?
"Help" is a single syllable word, so it is not divided.
What is the first form of "help"?
The first form is "help," which is the base form of the verb.
What is the pronunciation of "help"?
"Help" is pronounced as /hɛlp/.
How many syllables are in "help"?
There is one syllable in "help."
What is the verb form of "help"?
The base verb form is "help," with "helps," "helped," and "helping" as its other forms.
What is the singular form of "help"?
The singular form is "helps" when used with third-person singular subjects.
Why is it called "help"?
"Help" comes from the Old English "helpan," meaning to assist or aid, reflecting the act of providing support.
What is the third form of "help"?
The third form is "helped," used as the past participle.
Is "help" a noun or adjective?
"Help" is primarily a verb but can be used as a noun. It is not an adjective.
What is the root word of "help"?
The root of "help" is the Old English "helpan."
Which vowel is used before "help"?
The vowel or consonant used before "help" depends on the preceding word, not on "help" itself.
What is the second form of "help"?
The second form is "helped," which is the simple past tense.
Is "help" a negative or positive word?
"Help" is generally considered a positive word, as it implies assistance and support.
Is "help" a collective noun?
No, "help" is not typically used as a collective noun.
Is the word "help" imperative?
"Help" can be used in the imperative mood, e.g., "Help me with this task."
Which determiner is used with "help"?
Determiners such as "some," "any," or "no" can be used with "help," e.g., "I need some help."
What part of speech is "help"?
"Help" is primarily used as a verb but can also function as a noun in certain contexts.
Is "help" a vowel or consonant?
The word "help" starts with a consonant.
Is the word "help" Gerund?
"Helping" is the gerund form of the verb "help."
Which conjunction is used with "help"?
Conjunctions like "and" or "but" can be used with "help," depending on sentence construction.
What is another term for "help"?
Another term for "help" could be "assist" or "aid," depending on the context.
What is the plural form of "help"?
The base form "help" is used for plural subjects, e.g., "They help."
Is "help" an adverb?
No, "help" is not an adverb.
Is "help" a countable noun?
As a noun, "help" can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context, e.g., "helpers" (countable) vs. "help" (uncountable).
Is the word “help” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
In a sentence like "She helped me," "me" is the indirect object, and the direct object can be implied or stated, e.g., "She helped me (with the task)."
Which preposition is used with "help"?
Prepositions like "with," "to," and "for" can be used with "help," e.g., "help with a task," "help to do something," "help for someone."
What is the opposite of "help"?
An opposite of "help" could be "hinder" or "obstruct," depending on the context.
Is "help" an abstract noun?
As a noun, "help" can refer to the concept or act of assisting, making it somewhat abstract.
Is the "help" term a metaphor?
"Help" can be used metaphorically to represent support or assistance in various contexts.
Which article is used with "help"?
The articles "the" or "some" can be used with "help," depending on whether it's being used as a countable or uncountable noun, e.g., "the help you provided" or "some help with the project."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
