help

help1 [ help ] verb ***

1. ) intransitive or transitive to give someone support or information so that they can do something more easily:

If you are finding that difficult I could help you.

Mary was anxious to help.

help someone (to) do something: Can you help me find my glasses?

help someone with something: Her brother offered to help her with her homework.

help someone through something: They helped me through a very difficult time.

a ) to support someone when they move from one position to another or when they do some other action:

I'll help you to the door.

Can I help you off with your coat (=help you to take it off)?

2. ) intransitive or transitive to make a situation better:

More police officers on the streets would help.

Organic methods help the environment.

a ) to make it easier to achieve something:

help (to) do something: The new measure will help boost trade.

We hope this helps to clarify the situation.

help toward: Further study will help toward a better understanding of the problem.

3. ) transitive to give someone something, especially food or drink:

help someone to something: Can I help you to more vegetables?

help yourself to something (=take some of it): Help yourselves to more wine.

a ) help yourself to something INFORMAL to steal something:

He'd been helping himself to money from my purse for months.

cannot/can't help something

1. ) used for saying that someone cannot stop themselves from doing something:

She couldn't help laughing when she saw it.

I shouldn't have said it but I couldn't help myself.

can't help thinking (=have good reason for thinking): I couldn't help thinking he was asking for trouble.

2. ) someone cannot/can't help it if used for saying that someone cannot be blamed for a situation:

She could not help it if her emotions took charge of her.

3. ) it cannot/can't be helped there is no way of preventing something from happening:

It can't be helped, we'll just have to manage without her.

4. ) not if he/she/I etc. can help it used for saying that someone is trying to avoid something they do not like doing:

They never go there if they can help it.

help yourself SPOKEN

used for giving someone permission to do or use something:

Do you mind if I use the phone? Help yourself.

,help `out phrasal verb intransitive or transitive MAINLY SPOKEN

to help someone, especially by doing a particular job or by giving them money:

My family has always helped me out.

help out with: He always helped out with the housework.

help

help 2 [ help ] noun ***

1. ) uncount the process of helping someone, or what you do to help someone:

Do you want some help with that?

Police have appealed for help from anyone who may have information.

We're very grateful for their help.

help with: Molly now needs help with any heavy housework.

get/find/seek help: They need to get help, don't they?

You can get special help if somebody's disabled.

with the help of: She'll survive with the help of her supporters.

a ) part of a computer program that gives you information:

Try the help menu.

2. ) singular or uncount a person or thing that helps:

You've been a real help to me, Carrie.

Aircraft medical kits aren't much help in dealing with a collapsed lung.

It's a great help to know I can rely on you.

That information won't be of any help to them.

A great help you've been (=no help at all)!

a ) a person or people that someone pays to work for them in their house:

We don't have any domestic help just now.

help

help 3 [ help ] interjection

used for asking for urgent help:

Help! I'm sinking.