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- pronunciation:
- help
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun, interjection
- phrases:
- help oneself, help out
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Builder, Word Explorer, Grammatical Patterns
part of speech: |
transitive verb |
inflections: |
helps, helping, helped |
definition 1: |
to give aid or assistance to, or to further the advancement of.
Friends helped him paint his house.[verb + smby/smth + bare infinitive
]
Let me help you with the dishes.His wife helped him in his political career.The counselor helped her to define her goals.[verb + smby/smth + infinitive
]
- synonyms:
- aid, assist, serve
- antonyms:
- hamper, handicap, hinder, impede
- similar words:
- abet, accommodate, ameliorate, avail, back, benefit, collaborate with, contribute to, ease, encourage, expedite, facilitate, favor, forward, further, intercede for, nurse, oblige, promote, relieve, soothe, speed, succor, support
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definition 2: |
aid or assist in moving in a certain direction.
She helped her elderly mother out of the car.His father-in-law helped him up the corporate ladder. |
definition 3: |
to rescue or save.
Help her! She's choking.- synonyms:
- rescue, save
- antonyms:
- doom
- similar words:
- aid, deliver, extricate, redeem, salvage
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definition 4: |
to avoid or refrain from (usu. prec. by "can't," "cannot," or other negative expression).
I couldn't help overhearing their conversation.[verb + gerund
]
I can't help crying when I watch these sad movies.[verb + gerund
]
He can never help worrying when his daughter is out late.[verb + gerund
]
She never takes medicine if she can help it.- synonyms:
- avoid, eschew, keep from, refrain from
- similar words:
- abstain from, shun, stop
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definition 5: |
to take for oneself.
Help yourself to the pie.- similar words:
- avail, take
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definition 6: |
to improve; to make better.
Adequate funding will help the situation.An apology would certainly help matters.- antonyms:
- spoil
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related words: |
assist, attend, befriend, better, buttress, contribute, cultivate, enable, hand, improve, patronize, pay, profit, serve, start |
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part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
inflections: |
helps, helping, helped |
definition 1: |
to give aid or assistance, or to further the advancement of something or someone.
We should all help in the fight against hunger.This medicine helps to relieve the cough.[verb + infinitive
]
- synonyms:
- aid, assist, serve
- antonyms:
- hinder
- similar words:
- chip in, collaborate, contribute, cooperate, minister, oblige, pitch in
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definition 2: |
to cause something to improve, or to bring one closer to a solution to a problem.
Your advice really helped.When you have a problem, sometimes it helps to talk about it.[it + verb + infinitive
]
It helped that I reviewed a little the night before the test.[it + verb + that + clause
]
When I have a headache, it helps if I lie down and take a nap.[it + verb + WH/whether/if + clause
]
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related words: |
administer, attend, give, pay, share |
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part of speech: |
noun |
definition 1: |
the act or an instance of giving aid or assistance.
Your help with the project was greatly appreciated.The government's help came just in the nick of time.- synonyms:
- aid, assist, assistance, service
- antonyms:
- hindrance
- similar words:
- backing, boon, boost, contribution, cooperation, encouragement, favor, furtherance, hand, kindness, promotion, relief, start, succor, support
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definition 2: |
one who gives aid or assistance.
My daughter was a big help when I came home from the hospital.- synonyms:
- aid, aide, assistant, helper, succor
- antonyms:
- hindrance
- similar words:
- adjunct, attendant, auxiliary, deputy, encouragement, girl Friday, gofer, henchman, man Friday, resort
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definition 3: |
an aid to improvement or success, or an aid in solving a problem.
Real conversation practice is a great help in learning a foreign language.Being a Southerner was a help in his political campaign.- antonyms:
- encumbrance, hindrance, impediment, obstacle
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definition 4: |
an employee or employees collectively, esp. domestic servants.
We'll need to hire help for the banquet.The cost of help is steadily increasing.The help were given an extra day off at Christmas.- synonyms:
- employees, staff
- similar words:
- assistant, attendant, domestic, factotum, farm hand, hand, laborer, menial, peon, personnel, retainer, servant, worker
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related words: |
benefit, buttress, charity, courtesy, obligation, philanthropy |
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part of speech: |
interjection |
definition: |
an expression of distress; signal for rescue.
Help! I can't swim! |
phrase: |
help oneself, help out |
Word Builder: help +
- helper:
a person or thing that helps.
- helpful:
able and willing to give help.
- helpless:
needing help.
- help wanted:
a notice asking for people to apply for a job.
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