(helps, helping, helped)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If you help someone, you make it easier for them to do something, for example by doing part of the work for them or by giving them advice or money.
He has helped to raise a lot of money...
You can of course help by giving them a donation directly...
If you're not willing to help me, I'll find somebody who will.
VERB: V to-inf/inf, V, V n
•
Help is also a noun.
Thanks very much for your help...
Always ask the pharmacist for help...
= assistance
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2.
If you say that something helps, you mean that it makes something easier to do or get, or that it improves a situation to some extent.
The right style of swimsuit can help to hide, minimise or emphasise what you want it to...
Building more motorways and by-passes will help the environment by reducing pollution and traffic jams in towns and cities...
Understanding these rare molecules will help chemists to find out what is achievable...
I could cook your supper, though, if that would help.
VERB: V to-inf/inf, V n, V n to-inf/inf, V
3.
If you help someone go somewhere or move in some way, you give them support so that they can move more easily.
Martin helped Tanya over the rail...
She helped her sit up in bed so she could hold her baby.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n inf/to-inf
4.
If you say that someone or something has been a help or has been some help, you mean that they have helped you to solve a problem.
The books were not much help.
N-SING: a N, also no det
5.
Help is action taken to rescue a person who is in danger. You shout 'help!' when you are in danger in order to attract someone's attention so that they can come and rescue you.
He was screaming for help...
'Help!' I screamed, turning to run.
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6.
In computing, help, or the help menu, is a file that gives you information and advice, for example about how to use a particular program. (COMPUTING)
If you get stuck, click on Help.
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7.
If you help yourself to something, you serve yourself or you take it for yourself. If someone tells you to help yourself, they are telling you politely to serve yourself anything you want or to take anything you want.
There's bread on the table. Help yourself...
Just help yourself to leaflets.
VERB: V pron-refl, V pron-refl to n
8.
If someone helps themselves to something, they steal it. (INFORMAL)
Has somebody helped himself to some film star's diamonds?
VERB: V pron-refl to n
9.
10.
If you can't help the way you feel or behave, you cannot control it or stop it happening. You can also say that you can't help yourself.
I can't help feeling sorry for the poor man...
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing, PHR it, PHR pron-refl, PHR n
11.
If you say you can't help thinking something, you are expressing your opinion in an indirect way, often because you think it seems rude.
I can't help feeling that this may just be another of her schemes...
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing, PHR but inf [vagueness]
12.
If someone or something is of help, they make a situation easier or better.
Can I be of help to you?
PHRASE: V inflects