help

Meanings

Noun

• Action given to provide assistance; aid.
• Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.
• Documentation provided with computer software, etc. and accessed using the computer.
• One or more people employed to help in the maintenance of a house or the operation of a farm or enterprise.
• Correction of deficits, as by psychological counseling or medication or social support or remedial training.

Verb

• To provide assistance to (someone or something).
• To assist (a person) in getting something, especially food or drink at table; used with to.
• To contribute in some way to.
• To provide assistance.
• To avoid; to prevent; to refrain from; to restrain (oneself). Usually used in nonassertive contexts with can.

Interjection

• A cry of distress or an urgent request for assistance

Related

Similar words

• aid, assistance
• contribute to

Origin

• From Middle English help, from Old English help, from Proto-Germanic *helpō, *hilpiz, *hulpiz, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelb-, *ḱelp-.
• Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hälpe, West Frisian help, Dutch hulp, Low German Hülp, German Hilfe, Danish hjælp, Swedish hjälp, Norwegian hjelp.
• From Middle English helpen, from Old English helpan, from Proto-West Germanic *helpan, Proto-Germanic *helpaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelb-, *ḱelp-.
• Cognate with West Frisian helpe, Dutch helpen, Low German helpen, hölpen, German helfen, Danish hjælpe, Norwegian hjelpe, Lithuanian šelpti.