Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense succours, present participle succouring, past tense, past participle succouredregional note: in AM, use succor
1. uncountable noun
Succour is help given to people who are suffering or in difficulties.
[formal]
...a commitment to give succour to populations involved in the conflict.
Synonyms: help, support, aid, relief More Synonyms of succour
2. verb
If you succour someone who is suffering or in difficulties, you help them.
[formal]
Helicopters fly in appalling weather to succour shipwrecked mariners. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: help, support, aid, encourage More Synonyms of succour
succour in British English
or US succor (ˈsʌkə)
noun
1.
help or assistance, esp in time of difficulty
2.
a person or thing that provides help
verb
3. (transitive)
to give aid to
Derived forms
succourable (ˈsuccourable) or US succorable (ˈsuccorable)
adjective
succourer (ˈsuccourer) or US succorer (ˈsuccorer)
noun
succourless (ˈsuccourless) or US succorless (ˈsuccorless)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French sucurir, from Latin succurrere to hurry to help, from sub- under + currere to run
Examples of 'succour' in a sentence
succour
That is likely to give succour to all those who loathe liberal values and democracy.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The fixture list is unlikely to provide much succour either.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
How can an artistic paean to freedom provide succour to those who suppress freedom?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Some occupations seem to go out of their way to discourage mutual aid and succour.
Atkinson, Jacqueline M Coping with Stress at Work (1988)
The scene where she finds succour in tinted glasses when her eyesight has been shot away is masterly.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
That will not happen if this week's elections provide any succour for him.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Recent Ashes history offers him some succour in that regard.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Once again, their performance offered little succour.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It is not acceptable for a Nato member to offer succour to our enemies.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Do we have to face the shame of the rest of the world organising a charity campaign to bring succour to the starving of Spain?
Paul Preston DOVES OF WAR: Four Women of Spain (2002)
The figures will provide succour for economists after last week's shock manufacturing figures for February.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But if past results are encouraging for the French, the political situation provides no succour.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Why do we give succour - and money - to those who would destroy what we stand for?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
His aim was to bring succour to similar sufferers but he quickly gained followers all around the world, with his blog having more than three million hits.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It gives succour, comfort and aid to the perpetrators of evil and insults the good, the innocent and all the victims of crime.
The Sun (2014)
(noun)
Definition
help in time of difficulty
Have you offered comfort and succour to your friend?
Synonyms
help
There is no help for him and no doctor on this earth could save him.
support
We hope to continue to have her close support and friendship.
aid
He was forced to turn to his former enemy for aid.
relief
famine relief
comfort
I tried to find some words of comfort to offer her.
assistance
He's been operating the shop with the assistance of volunteers.
(verb)
Definition
to give aid to (someone in time of difficulty)
The money would be used to succour evicted families.
Synonyms
help
If you're not willing to help me, I'll find somebody who will.
support
He supported the hardworking people.
aid
a software system to aid managers in decision-making
encourage
Their task is to encourage private investment in Russia.
nurse
comfort
He put his arm round her, trying to comfort her.
foster
They are keen to foster trading links with the West.
assist
They decided to assist me with my chores.
relieve
a programme to relieve poor countries
minister to
befriend
It's about an elderly woman and a young nurse who befriends her.
render assistance to
give aid and encouragement to
Additional synonyms
in the sense of aid
Definition
money, equipment, or services provided for people in need
He was forced to turn to his former enemy for aid.
Synonyms
help,
backing,
support,
benefit,
favour,
relief,
promotion,
assistance,
encouragement,
helping hand,
succour
in the sense of aid
Definition
to help financially or in other ways
a software system to aid managers in decision-making
Synonyms
help,
second,
support,
serve,
sustain,
assist,
relieve,
avail,
subsidize,
abet,
succour,
be of service to,
lend a hand to,
give a leg up to (informal)
in the sense of assist
Definition
to give help or support
They decided to assist me with my chores.
Synonyms
help,
back,
support,
further,
benefit,
aid,
encourage,
work with,
work for,
relieve,
collaborate with,
cooperate with,
abet,
expedite,
succour,
lend a hand to,
lend a helping hand to,
give a leg up to (informal)
Nearby words of
succour
successive
successor
succinct
succour
succulent
succumb
suck
Synonyms of 'succour'
succour
Explore 'succour' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assistance
Definition
help or support
He's been operating the shop with the assistance of volunteers.
Synonyms
help,
backing,
service,
support,
benefit,
aid,
relief,
boost,
promotion,
cooperation,
encouragement,
collaboration,
reinforcement,
helping hand,
sustenance,
succour,
furtherance,
abetment
in the sense of befriend
Definition
to become a friend to
It's about an elderly woman and a young nurse who befriends her.
Synonyms
make friends with,
back,
help,
support,
benefit,
aid,
encourage,
welcome,
favour,
advise,
sustain,
assist,
stand by,
uphold,
side with,
patronize,
succour
in the sense of comfort
Definition
relief from suffering or grief
I tried to find some words of comfort to offer her.
Synonyms
consolation,
cheer,
encouragement,
succour,
help,
support,
aid,
relief,
ease,
compensation,
alleviation
in the sense of comfort
Definition
to bring physical ease to
He put his arm round her, trying to comfort her.
Synonyms
console,
encourage,
ease,
cheer,
strengthen,
relieve,
reassure,
soothe,
hearten,
solace,
assuage,
gladden,
commiserate with,
inspirit
in the sense of encourage
Definition
to stimulate (something or someone) by approval or help
Their task is to encourage private investment in Russia.
Synonyms
promote,
back,
help,
support,
increase,
further,
aid,
forward,
advance,
favour,
boost,
strengthen,
foster,
advocate,
stimulate,
endorse,
commend,
succour
in the sense of foster
Definition
to promote the growth or development of
They are keen to foster trading links with the West.
Synonyms
develop,
support,
further,
encourage,
feed,
promote,
stimulate,
uphold,
nurture,
cultivate,
foment
in the sense of relief
Definition
money, food, or clothing given to people in special need
famine relief
Synonyms
aid,
help,
support,
assistance,
sustenance,
succour
in the sense of relieve
Definition
to bring assistance to (someone in need)
a programme to relieve poor countries
Synonyms
help,
support,
aid,
sustain,
assist,
succour,
bring aid to
in the sense of support
Definition
the act of supporting or the condition of being supported
We hope to continue to have her close support and friendship.