Contextualizebeta

help

noun
/hɛlp/

Etymology

From Middle English helpen, from Old English helpan (“to help, aid, assist, benefit, relieve, cure”), from Proto-West Germanic *helpan, Proto-Germanic *helpaną (“to help”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelb-, *ḱelp- (“to help”). Cognate with North Frisian halep, heelpe, help (“to help”), Saterland Frisian hälpe (“to help”), West Frisian helpe (“to help”), Cimbrian hölfan (“to help”), Dutch helpen (“to help”), German helfen (“to help”), Low German helpen, hölpen, hülpen (“to help”), Luxembourgish hëllefen (“to help”), Yiddish העלפֿן (helfn, “to help”), Danish hjælpe (“to help”), Faroese, Icelandic hjálpa (“to help”), Norwegian Bokmål hjelpe (“to help”), Norwegian Nynorsk hjelpa, hjelpe (“to help”), Swedish hjälpa (“to help”), Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌻𐍀𐌰𐌽 (hilpan, “to help”), Lithuanian šelpti (“to help, support”).

  1. derived from *ḱelb-✻
  2. inherited from *helpaną✻ — “to help”
  3. inherited from *helpan✻
  4. inherited from helpan — “to help, aid, assist, benefit, relieve, cure”
  5. inherited from helpen

Definitions

  1. Action given to provide assistance

    Action given to provide assistance; aid.

    • I need some help with my homework.

  2. Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.

    • He was a great help to me when I was moving house.

  3. Documentation provided with computer software that could be accessed using the computer.

    • I can't find anything in the help about rotating an image.
  4. ›+ 13 more definitions

    1. A study aid.

      • I've printed out a list of math helps.
      • In 1979 the Church published a Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible in English. Included in this edition were numerous helps to make a study of the scriptures more meaningful and rewarding.

    2. One or more people employed to help in the maintenance of a house or the operation of a…

      One or more people employed to help in the maintenance of a house or the operation of a farm or enterprise.

      • The help is coming round this morning to clean.
      • Most of the hired help is seasonal, for the harvest.

    3. Correction of deficits, as by psychological counseling or medication or social support or…

      Correction of deficits, as by psychological counseling or medication or social support or remedial training.

      • His suicide attempts were a cry for help.
      • He really needs help in handling customer complaints.
      • “He’s a real road-rager.” / “Yup, he really needs help, maybe anger management.”

    4. To provide assistance to (someone or something).

      • He helped his grandfather cook breakfast.
      • Risk is everywhere.[…]For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you. “The Norm Chronicles”[…]aims to help data-phobes find their way through this blizzard of risks.

    5. To assist (a person) in getting something, especially food or drink at table

      To assist (a person) in getting something, especially food or drink at table; used with to.

      • It is polite to help your guests to food before serving yourself.
      • Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge.

    6. To contribute in some way to.

      • The white paint on the walls helps make the room look brighter.
      • If you want to get a job, it helps to have some prior experience.
      • I've already taken three pills, but they don't seem to help my headache.

    7. To provide assistance.

      • She was struggling with the groceries, so I offered to help.
      • Please, help!

    8. To avoid

      To avoid; to prevent; to refrain from; to restrain (oneself). Usually used in nonassertive contexts with can.

      • We couldn’t help noticing that you were late.
      • We couldn’t help but notice that you were late.
      • She’s trying not to smile, but she can’t help herself.

    9. To do something on the behalf of someone.

      • Can you help me buy some groceries?

    10. To assist or sympathize with (the speaker)

      To assist or sympathize with (the speaker); used to express displeasure, disappointment or exasperation.

      • Compare Malay tolong (“help; please”) and Hokkien 導郎 /导郎 (tō͘-lông, “help; please”)
      • Help lah.

    11. A cry of distress or an urgent request for assistance.

      • — Take that, you scoundrel. — Help! Robin, help!

    12. A way to signal uncontrollable laughter

      A way to signal uncontrollable laughter; implying the risk of dying of laughter and needing assistance.

      • helpppp that's too funny, did she rlly say that?

    13. Initialism of heat escape lessening position

      Initialism of heat escape lessening position: a crouching position with the knees held close to the chest, used to conserve body heat in cold water.

The neighborhood

Derived

call for help, cry for help, help desk, helpfile, helpful, helpless, helpline, helply, helpmate, helpmeet, helpsheet, helpsome, help vampire, helpworthy, helpy, home help, househelp, self-help, telehelp, temporary help

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at help. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01help02aid03relief04removal05dismissal06sending07sent08currency09facilitate

A definitional loop anchored at help. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

9 hops · closes at help

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA