Confunction and Help

noun

• The activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose.
  • usage: "he gave me an assist with the housework"; "could not walk without assistance"; "rescue party went to their aid"; "offered his help in unloading"
  • synonyms: aid, assist, assistance
• A person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose.
  • usage: "my invaluable assistant"; "they hired additional help to finish the work"
  • synonyms: assistant, helper, supporter
• A resource.
  • usage: "visual aids in teaching"
  • synonyms: aid, assistance
• A means of serving.
  • usage: "of no avail"; "there's no help for it"
  • synonyms: avail, service

verb

• Give help or assistance; be of service.
  • usage: "Everyone helped out during the earthquake"; "Can you help me carry this table"; "She never helps around the house"
  • synonyms: assist, aid
• Improve the condition of.
  • usage: "These pills will help the patient"
  • synonyms: aid
• Be of use.
  • usage: "This will help to prevent accidents"
  • synonyms: facilitate
• Abstain from doing; always used with a negative.
  • usage: "I can't help myself-I have to smoke"; "She could not help watching the sad spectacle"
  • synonyms: help oneself
• Help to some food; help with food or drink.
  • usage: "I served him three times, and after that he helped himself"
  • synonyms: serve
• Contribute to the furtherance of.
  • usage: "This money will help the development of literacy in developing countries"
• Take or use.
  • usage: "She helped herself to some of the office supplies"
  • synonyms: avail
• Improve; change for the better.
  • usage: "New slipcovers will help the old living room furniture"

• (v.t.) Specifically, a domestic servant, man or woman.
• (v.i.) To lend aid or assistance; to contribute strength or means; to avail or be of use; to assist.
• (v.t.) To forbear; to avoid.
• (v.t.) Remedy; relief; as, there is no help for it.
• (v.t.) To furnish with relief, as in pain or disease; to be of avail against; -- sometimes with of before a word designating the pain or disease, and sometimes having such a word for the direct object.
• (v.t.) To furnish with the means of deliverance from trouble; as, to help one in distress; to help one out of prison.
• (v.t.) To furnish with strength or means for the successful performance of any action or the attainment of any object; to aid; to assist; as, to help a man in his work; to help one to remember; -- the following infinitive is commonly used without to; as, "Help me scale yon balcony.".
• (v.t.) A helper; one hired to help another; also, thew hole force of hired helpers in any business.
• (v.t.) Strength or means furnished toward promoting an object or deliverance from difficulty or distress; aid; ^; also, the person or thing furnishing the aid; as, he gave me a help of fifty dollars.
• (v.t.) To prevent; to hinder; as, the evil approaches, and who can help it?.
• (v.t.) To change for the better; to remedy.
• (v.t.) To wait upon, as the guests at table, by carving and passing food.