aid

noun

/eɪd/

Idioms

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[uncountable] money, food, etc. that is sent to help countries in difficult situations
- humanitarian/food/medical aid
- An extra £10 million in foreign aid has been provided for victims of the earthquake.
- aid agencies (= organizations that provide help)
- international aid workers
Collocations International relations
International relationsTrade
- facilitate/regulate trade (with other countries)
- form/join a trading bloc
- live in/compete in a global/the world economy
- support/promote free trade
- adopt/call for/oppose protectionist measures
- erect/impose/reduce/remove trade barriers
- impose/lift/raise/eliminate import tariffs (on something)
- have/run a huge/large/growing trade surplus/deficit
- embrace/resist/drive globalization
Politics and law
- conduct/handle/talk about/discuss foreign policy
- pursue an aggressive/a hawkish foreign policy
- require/use/conduct diplomacy
- establish/break off/sever/restore diplomatic relations
- foster/promote/strengthen regional cooperation
- facilitate/achieve economic/political integration
- exercise/defend/protect/transfer/restore/regain national/state/full/limited sovereignty
- consolidate/extend/lose/retain your power (in the region)
- hold/maintain/change/alter/shift/be a shift in the balance of power (in the region)
- cause/create/open/expose/heal/repair a deep/growing/major/serious rift between X and Y
Meetings and agreements
- have/hold/host/attend an international conference/an economic forum/a G20 summit
- launch a new round of global/multilateral/world trade negotiations
- send/head/lead/meet a high-level/an official/a trade delegation
- begin/start/continue/resume peace talks
- be committed to/be opposed to/disrupt/undermine/derail/sabotage the peace process
- negotiate/achieve a lasting political settlement
- broker/sign a peace deal/agreement/treaty
Conflict
- be/constitute/pose a threat to global security
- compromise/endanger/protect national security
- justify/be in favour of/ (US English) be in favor of/be against military intervention
- threaten/authorize/launch/take/support/oppose unilateral/pre-emptive military action
- impose/enforce/lift/end economic sanctions/an arms embargo/a naval blockade
- close/protect/secure/patrol the border
- lead/be involved in a peacekeeping operation
Aid
- negotiate/announce a $15 billion aid package/an economic stimulus package
- send/provide/request/cut off military aid
- bring/provide emergency/humanitarian relief
- deliver/distribute medical supplies/(British English) food parcels/(North American English)food packages
- fund/run a foreign/a local/an international NGO
- reduce/eradicate child/global/world poverty
see also Christian Aid, financial aid, grant aid, grant-in-aid, legal aid, Live Aid
Culture aidaidMost aid (= money, food and equipment) is given to the world's poorest countries to help reduce poverty. Projects paid for by aid money are often aimed at improving local housing and water supply, agriculture, health and education. Training local people is a central part of many programmes. A lot of aid money comes from governments, but development projects are often run with the help of NGOs (non-governmental organizations), such as charities. Some charities, for example, Oxfam, the Red Cross and Save the Children, run their own aid programmes with money given by the general public. Additional emergency aid is given after natural disasters.The British government gives aid each year to developing countries. The distribution of aid is organized by the Department for International Development. Some aid is given direct to individual countries; the rest is distributed through international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank. Britain, together with other countries, is helping to reduce the debts of poorer countries and may under certain circumstances cancel debts.The US began giving foreign aid during the Second World War, when the Lend-Lease Act made it possible to give military equipment to foreign countries. After the war the US created the Marshall Plan, a $15 billion programme to help European countries rebuild their economies. The US has continued to spend large amounts of money on foreign aid although it has sometimes been criticized for the way it decides who to help. USAID distributes US foreign aid.Two organizations are particularly concerned with training local people. In Britain Voluntary Service Overseas arranges for people to work abroad for a few years so that they can pass on their skills. They are paid at local rates by the government of the country they are working in. The Peace Corps, a US government agency, does similar work but it pays the living expenses of the volunteers and gives them a small amount of money each month.
Extra Examples
- The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.
- The country's president has appealed for international aid in the wake of the disaster.
- Emergency aid arrived too late for many.
- a $14 million aid package
Topics The environmentb2, Moneyb2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- emergency
- humanitarian
- cash
- …
verb + aid
- appeal for
- call for
- extend
- …
aid + noun
- agency
- worker
- budget
- …
See full entry
[uncountable] help that you need, especially to perform a particular task
- with the aid of somebody/something She walks with the aid of a stick.
- without the aid of somebody/something This job would be impossible without the aid of a computer.
- (formal) One of the staff saw he was in difficulty and came to his aid (= helped him).
see also first aidTopics Social issuesb2
Extra Examples
- She is now able to get around with the aid of a walking stick.
- We enlisted the aid of John and his family.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + aid
- ask for
- enlist
- come to somebody’s
- …
preposition
- in aid of
- with the aid of
- without the aid of
- …
See full entry
[countable] an object, a machine, etc. that you use to help you do something
- Photos make useful teaching aids.
see also hearing aid, visual aid
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- effective
- essential
- useful
- …
preposition
- aid to
See full entry

aid

verb

/eɪd/

[intransitive, transitive] (formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they aid	/eɪd/ /eɪd/
he / she / it aids	/eɪdz/ /eɪdz/
past simple aided	/ˈeɪdɪd/ /ˈeɪdɪd/
past participle aided	/ˈeɪdɪd/ /ˈeɪdɪd/
-ing form aiding	/ˈeɪdɪŋ/ /ˈeɪdɪŋ/

Idioms

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to help somebody/something to do something, especially by making it easier synonym assist
- aid in something The test is designed to aid in the diagnosis of various diseases.
- aid in doing something The research has aided in developing new drugs.
- aid somebody/something The charity was established to aid hurricane victims.
- The investigation was greatly aided by the fact that the house was equipped with CCTV cameras.
- They were accused of aiding his escape.
- aid somebody to do something They were accused of aiding him to escape.
- aid somebody/something in something They were accused of aiding him in his escape.
- aid somebody/something in doing something The strategy can aid teachers in dealing with disruptive behaviour.
- aid somebody with something Words will be displayed around the room to aid students with spelling.
Extra Examples
- The new test should aid in the early detection of the disease.
- This feature is designed to aid inexperienced users.
- Aided by heat and strong winds, the fire quickly spread.
- Computers can be used to aid in management decision-making.
- The dolphin's skin is designed to aid maximum swimming efficiency.
- The government has promised to aid and support the new venture.
- Each group is aided by a tutor or consultant.
- Candidates are aided by volunteers who do doorstep canvassing.
aid something to help or encourage something to happen
- New drugs are now available to aid recovery.
- Some perfumes aid restful sleep.
- Peppermint aids digestion.

Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French aide (noun), aidier (verb), based on Latin adjuvare, from ad- ‘towards’ + juvare ‘to help’.

Idioms

aid and abet

(law) to help somebody to do something illegal or wrong
- She stands accused of aiding and abetting the crime.
- He was charged with aiding and abetting the robbers.