helpverb
uk/help/us/help/help verb (MAKE EASIER)
A1 [ I or T ] to make it possible or easier for someone to do something, by doing part of the work yourself or by providing advice, money, support, etc.:
B2 [ I or T ] If something helps a difficult or painful situation, it improves it or makes it easier or less painful:
[ + (to) infinitive ] If something or someone helps to do something, that thing or person is one of several reasons for it happening:
More examples
- The college now has a counsellor to help students with both personal and work problems.
- We've got to enlist some people to help prepare the food.
- Could I have a glass of water to help these pills go down ?
- It's kind of you to offer to help.
- She derived great satisfaction from helping other people.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Helping and co-operating
- a good/bad turn idiom
- abet
- aid
- assist
- assistance
- avail
- bridge
- carry
- facilitate
- give sb a leg up idiom
- give/lend sb a helping hand idiom
- go a long way toward(s) doing sth idiom
- hang
- platform
- reach
- relief
- run errands idiom
- see sb through sth
- share a platform idiom
- start sb off
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
help verb (STOP YOURSELF)
B1 If you can't/couldn't help something, such as acting in a particular way or making a particular remark, you are/were not able to control or stop it:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Inevitable
- all roads lead to Rome idiom
- automatic
- automatically
- be (only) a matter of time idiom
- be damned if you do and damned if you don't idiom
- be nothing for it idiom
- be part and parcel of sth idiom
- damned
- doom
- fate
- fated
- implacable
- inevitably
- inexorable
- it can't be helped idiom
- relentless
- remorseless
- seal
- unavoidable
- unstoppable
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help verb (GIVE/TAKE)
B1 [ T ] to give something to someone:
More examples
- Feel free to help yourself to coffee.
- "May I help myself to some more food?" "Yes, of course."
- I wish my lodger would ask before helping himself to my food.
- My daughter just helps herself to anything she fancies from my wardrobe - usually my only good clothes!
- I'm not sure whether we should be helping ourselves to these snacks - perhaps they're meant for later.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Giving, providing and supplying
- accommodate
- accord
- administer
- administration
- assignment
- award
- dish
- go round (somewhere)
- hand sth around
- hand sth back
- hand sth in
- hand sth out
- invest
- lay
- spare
- stake sb to sth
- step
- step forward
- supplier
- supply
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to take something for yourself:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taking and choosing
- adopt
- adopted
- adoption
- appoint
- bags I... idiom
- dip
- easy option
- either-or
- elect
- empanel
- go off with sth
- have/keep your options open idiom
- plump
- select
- selection
- selective
- selector
- self-selected
- single sb/sth out
- slate
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Idiom(s)
Phrasal verb(s)
helpnoun
uk/help/us/help/A2 [ U ] the act of helping another person:
B2 [ S ] something or someone that helps:
[ C ] UK old-fashioned someone who is employed to clean and do other small jobs:
a person or the people employed to work in someone's home doing cleaning, cooking, caring for children, etc.
More examples
- The earthquake survivors are in desperate need of help.
- If you can just hold on I'll go and get some help.
- We really appreciate all the help you gave us last weekend.
- More help is needed for people on low incomes.
- If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Helping and co-operating
- a good/bad turn idiom
- abet
- aid
- assist
- assistance
- avail
- bridge
- carry
- facilitate
- give sb a leg up idiom
- give/lend sb a helping hand idiom
- go a long way toward(s) doing sth idiom
- hang
- platform
- reach
- relief
- run errands idiom
- see sb through sth
- share a platform idiom
- start sb off
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Idiom(s)
helpexclamation
uk/help/us/help/Examples
- "Help! I'm drowning!" "Don't panic - I'm coming!"
- A woman was leaning out of the window shouting, "Help! Fire!"
A2 shouted by a person who is asking for someone to come and save them from a dangerous situation
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: interjections
- (well) what do you know! idiom
- aiyo
- alas
- aw shucks
- awesomesauce
- bam
- bless
- boo
- charming
- good show idiom
- goodness
- heck
- hot dog! idiom
- talk
- use your loaf idiom
- voilà
- wake up! idiom
- watch out
- what an idea! idiom
- yes
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