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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
| 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.Let me help you with the dishes.His wife helped him in his political career.The counselor helped her to define her goals.
- 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.I can't help crying when I watch these sad movies.He can never help worrying when his daughter is out late.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.- 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 helped that I reviewed a little the night before the test.When I have a headache, it helps if I lie down and take a nap. |
| 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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