Help - Oxford Learner's Dictionaries

Definition of help_1 verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and ... Togglenavigation Redeem Upgrade Help Signin Dictionaries Dictionarieshome English AmericanEnglish Academic Collocations German-English Grammar Grammarhome PracticalEnglishUsage Learn&PractiseGrammar(Beta) WordLists WordListshome MyWordLists Topics Recentadditions Resources Resourceshome TextChecker Signin Dictionaries Dictionarieshome English AmericanEnglish Academic Collocations German-English Grammar Grammarhome PracticalEnglishUsage Learn&PractiseGrammar(Beta) WordLists WordListshome MyWordLists Topics Recentadditions Resources Resourceshome TextChecker Redeem Upgrade Help TOP English English AmericanEnglish AcademicEnglish Collocations PracticalEnglishUsage German-English English-German English AmericanEnglish Entersearchtext DefinitionofhelpverbfromtheOxfordAdvancedLearner'sDictionary helpverb  /help/ /help/VerbFormspresentsimpleI/you/we/theyhelp /help/ /help/he/she/ithelps /helps/ /helps/pastsimplehelped /helpt/ /helpt/pastparticiplehelped /helpt/ /helpt/-ingformhelping /ˈhelpɪŋ/ /ˈhelpɪŋ/IdiomsPhrasalVerbs jumptootherresults makeeasier/better [intransitive,transitive]tomakeiteasierorpossibleforsomebodytodosomethingbydoingsomethingforthemorbygivingthemsomethingthattheyneedWhatcanIdotohelp?Iwasonlytryingtohelp!helpwithsomethingHealwayshelpswiththehousework.helpsomebodyTheyaretryingtheirbesttodoagoodjobandhelpothers.helpsomebodywithsomethingJowillhelpuswithsomeoftheorganization.helpindoingsomethingFollowingthesestepswillhelpinprotectingourenvironment.helpsomebody(to)dosomethingComeandhelpmeliftthisbox.Thischarityaimstohelppeopletohelpthemselves.Thecollege'saimistohelpstudentsachievetheiraspirations.help(to)dosomethingShehelpedorganizetheparty.Somehistorymayhelptoexplainwhythisis.Inverbpatternswithatoinfinitive,the‘to’isoftenleftout,especiallyininformalorspokenEnglish.ExpressYourselfAskingforhelpAskingforhelpIfyouneedhelp,peoplearemorelikelytoreactfavourablyifyouaskpolitely:Couldyoupossiblyhelpme?Iwonderifyoucouldgivemeahand?Wouldyoumindopeningthedoorforme?Iwonderifyou'dmindtakingapictureofus?CouldIaskyoutokeepaneyeonmyluggageforamoment?Responses:Yes,ofcourse.I'msorry,I'minahurry.Sure.(informalorNorthAmericanEnglish)ExpressYourselfOfferingtodosomethingOfferingtodosomethingTherearevariouswaysofofferingandacceptinghelp:Wouldyoulikemetohelpyouwiththat?CanIgiveyouahand?CanIhelpyouwiththat?ShallIcarrythatforyou?(BritishEnglishorformal,NorthAmericanEnglish)WouldithelpifIspoketoJuliebeforeyoucallher?Letmetakeyourbag.Ifthere'sanythingIcando(tohelp),letmeknow.Responses:That'sverykind/​nice/​generous/​thoughtfulofyou.Thankyou.It'sallright,thankyou.Icanmanage/​doit.Thanks.Thatwouldbeveryhelpful.ExtraExamplesI'mafraidIcan'thelpyou.Mymotherhelpsmealot.Talkingtoacounsellorhelpedherenormously.Theminimumwageisdesignedtohelppeopleinlow-payserviceindustries.Canyouhelpmewithmyhomework?Manypeopleinadvertentlyhelpthievesbyleavingkeysinfullview.HehadactivelyhelpedmanyJewstoescape.Lavenderoilsupposedlyhelpsyousleep.Theexhibitionhelpedherestablishherselfasanartist.Therapyhelpedherovercomeherfear.Weweregivencluestohelpussolvethepuzzle.Ineedcontactsthatcouldhelpinfindingajob.Wemustalltryandhelpeachother.Manypeoplearewillingtogivetheirowntimetohelpthecommunity.Thestudentshelpedtoraise£750forthenationalappeal.We'rehelpingtocreateahealthier,betterfutureforeveryone.TopicsSocialissuesa1OxfordCollocationsDictionaryadverbalotabitalittle…verb+helpbeabletocanbeunableto…prepositionacrossintooutof…phraseshelpsomebodytotheirfeetawayofhelpingSeefullentry Questionsaboutgrammarandvocabulary? FindtheanswerswithPracticalEnglishUsageonline,yourindispensableguidetoproblemsinEnglish. Joinus JoinourcommunitytoaccessthelatestlanguagelearningandassessmenttipsfromOxfordUniversityPress! Definitionsonthego Lookupanywordinthedictionaryoffline,anytime,anywherewiththeOxfordAdvancedLearner’sDictionaryapp. Wanttolearnmore? FindoutwhichwordsworktogetherandproducemorenaturalsoundingEnglishwiththeOxfordCollocationsDictionaryapp.  [intransitive,transitive]toimproveasituation;tomakeiteasierforsomethingtohappenThesupportofourfamilieshashelpedenormously.ithelps(doingsomething)Ithelpedbeingabletotalkaboutit.ithelpsthat…Itcertainlyhelpedthatherfatherisaduke!helptowardssomethingThemoneyraisedwillhelptowards(=partlypayfor)thecostoforganizingthechampionships.helpsomethingItdoesn'treallyhelpmattersknowingthateveryoneistalkingaboutus.help(to)dosomethingThisshouldhelptoreducethepain.Weneednewmeasurestohelpfightterrorism.ExtraExamplesHisstatementhardlyhelpedhiscase.Themusicreallyhelpsthescenework.Ithoughtawalkwouldhelpsomehow.Intenseguiltwon'tnecessarilyhelphere.Thewholeprocesswasgreatlyhelpedbythewidespreadavailabilityofcomputers.Correctbreathinghelpstoclearthemindandreducetension.Thenewservicehelpedboostpre-taxprofitsby10%.Thestudyofthepresentalsohelpstoilluminatethepast.Thinkofsomequestionsthatwillhelpfocusthediscussion.Ironhelpsintheformationofredbloodcells.Ithelpsimmenselythathehascastgoodactors.effortstohelpbridgethegapbetweenthosewhohaveaccesstotheinternetandthosewhodon'tOxfordCollocationsDictionaryadverbconsiderablydramaticallyenormously…verb+helpbedesignedtoprepositioninSeefullentry somebodytomove[transitive]helpsomebody+adv./prep.tohelpsomebodymoveordosomeotheractionbylettingthemleanonyou,guidingthem,etc.Shehelpedhimtohisfeet.Wewerehelpedashorebylocalpeople.ExtraExamplesHegentlyhelpedherbackintothechair.Shehelpedthemanoutofthecar.Ihelpedheracrosstheroad.OxfordCollocationsDictionaryadverbalotabitalittle…verb+helpbeabletocanbeunableto…prepositionacrossintooutof…phraseshelpsomebodytotheirfeetawayofhelpingSeefullentrygivefood/drink [transitive]togiveyourself/somebodyfood,drinks,etc.helpyourselfIfyouwantanotherdrink,justhelpyourself.helpyourself/somebodytosomethingCanIhelpyoutosomemoresalad?steal[transitive]helpyourselftosomething(informal,disapproving)totakesomethingwithoutpermissionsynonymstealHe'dbeenhelpinghimselftothemoneyinthecashregister.WordOriginOldEnglishhelpan(verb),help(noun),ofGermanicorigin;relatedtoDutchhelpenandGermanhelfen.Idiomssomebodycannothelp(doing)something|somebodycannothelpbutdosomethingusedtosaythatitisimpossibletopreventoravoidsomethingIcan'thelpthinkingheknowsmorethanhehastoldus.Hecan’thelpbeingugly.Shecouldn'thelpbutwonderwhathewasthinking.Itcouldn'tbehelped(=therewasnowayofavoidingitandwemustacceptit).Heneverdoesmoreworkthanhecanhelp(=hedoesaslittleaspossible).Ialwaysenduphavinganargumentwithher,Idon'tknowwhy,Ijustcan'thelpit.Icouldn'thelpitifthebuswaslate(=itwasn'tmyfault).Sheburstoutlaughing—shecouldn'thelpherself(=couldn'tstopherself).Shewon’tbeinvitedagain,notifIcanhelpit(=ifIcandoanythingtopreventit).give/lendahelpinghandtohelpsomebody God/Heavenhelpsomebody(informal)usedtosaythatyouareafraidsomebodywillbeindangerorthatsomethingbadwillhappentothemGodhelpusifthisdoesn'twork.SomepeoplefindthisuseofGodoffensive.TopicsDangerc2sohelpme(God)usedtoswearthatwhatyouaresayingistrue,especiallyinacourtoflawPhrasalVerbshelpoffwithhelponwithhelpoutSeehelpintheOxfordAdvancedAmericanDictionarySeehelpintheOxfordLearner'sDictionaryofAcademicEnglishCheckpronunciation: help Otherresults Allmatches helpnoun helpexclamation helpout helpdesknoun homehelpnoun self-helpnoun self-helpadjective helpoffwith helponwith HelptheAged thehelp dailyhelp helpdesks domestichelp helpout|helpsomebodyout helpsomebodyoffwithsomething helpsomebodyonwithsomething sohelpme(God) God/Heavenhelpsomebody thereisnohelpforit Seemore Phrasalverbs helpout|helpsomebodyout helpsomebodyoffwithsomething helpsomebodyonwithsomething Idioms sohelpme(God) God/Heavenhelpsomebody thereisnohelpforit Nearbywords helmsmannoun helmswomannoun helpverb helpnoun helpexclamation befriend verb     FromtheTopic Familyandrelationships C2 OxfordLearner'sDictionariesWordoftheDay