helpn.

Brit.

/hɛlp/, U.S.

/hɛlp/

Forms: Old English help, helpe, Middle English– help, (Middle English–1600s helpe, Middle English heelpe, hilp, hylp, Middle English (?) holp, 1500s healpe).

Etymology: Old English help = Old Frisian helpe , Old Saxon helpa (Middle Dutch and Middle Low German helpe , help ), Old High German helfa , hilfa (Middle High German helfe , hilfe ), Old Norse hjalp (Swedish, Danish hjelp ) < Germanic *helpâ strong feminine; < stem of helpan to help v. In Old English the noun was also strong masculine or neuter (genitive helpes) and weak feminine (accusative helpan). The continental languages have also a form from the ablaut-grade hulp-, Old High German hulfa, Middle German hulfe, Old Low German hulpa, Middle Dutch hulpe, hulp, Dutch hulp, German hülfe.

a. The action of helping; the supplementing of action or resources by what makes them more efficient; aid, assistance, succour.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun]

fultumeOE

help971

succour?c1225

abetc1330

succouringc1330

speedc1340

subsidya1387

rescousc1390

chevisancea1400

juvamentc1400

supply1420

aid1430

favour1434

supplying1436

suffrage1445

availa1450

boteningc1450

succurrancec1450

adjuvancea1460

assistance1495

meeda1500

subventiona1500

suppliancea1500

adjutory?a1513

sistancea1513

adminiculation1531

abetment1533

assisting1553

adjument1576

society1586

aidance1593

opitulation1598

secourse1598

second1605

suppeditation1605

assistency1642

auxiliation1657

adjutancy1665

adjuvancy1677

abettal1834

sustenance1839

constructiveness1882

971 Blickl. Hom. 105 Hwa him to hæle and to helpe and to feorhnere on þas world astag.

OE Beowulf 1552 Nemne him heaðobyrne helpe gefremede.

c1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Ȝe me þenne clepiað and helpes me biddað.

a1225 Juliana 33 Habbe ich þin anes help.

c1380 J. Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 28 Þou art goon out in heelpe of þi folk.

c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 1030 Wiþ þe hilp of god almiȝt.

c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 3208 Hylp on hem nys none.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 122 Al þis werld, or þis bok blin, Wit cristes help I sal ouer-rin.

1477 Earl Rivers tr. Dictes or Sayengis Philosophhres (Caxton) (1877) lf. 7 By whiche ye atteyne helpe of the holy gost.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid viii. ix. (heading) Evander sendis his son..in help of Eneas.

1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 88 Calling out for helpe.

1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 281. ¶4 By the help of our Glasses [we] discerned in it Millions of little Scars.

1781 S. Johnson Pope in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets VII. 224 He..neither went to bed nor rose without help.

1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. ii. 208 To learn that the princes of the House of Stuart needed his help, and were willing to purchase that help by unbounded subserviency.

b. With a and plural. An act of helping, an aid. (Now rare, or merged in sense 2.)

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun] > helping > an act of helping

helpa1300

servicea1413

assist1597

hand-up1871

a1300 Cursor Mundi 23759 His helpes and vr wittes eke.

c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 7166 All the Troiens..Helit þere hurt men þurgh helpis of leches.

1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. Jas. iv. f. xxxvii Let vs distruste oure owne helpes and the helpes of this worlde.

1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 27 The Helps we have receiv'd from the Microscope.

1775 E. Burke Corr. (1844) II. 72 I am perfectly sensible of the greatness of the difficulties, and the weakness and fewness of the helps.

1883 R. L. Stevenson Treasure Island ii. xii. 96 I'll ask you, later on, to give us a help.

†c. at help: in the quarter for helping, in (our, etc.) favour.

ΚΠ

1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iv. iii. 43 The Barck is ready, and the wind at helpe .

2. transferred. Any thing or person that affords help; a source or means of assistance; an aid.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun] > that which or one who helps or means of help

redeeOE

helpc893

bootOE

friendOE

lithc1275

helpera1300

a helping handa1300

helpingc1330

bieldc1352

succour?a1366

supplementc1384

easementa1398

succourer1442

aid?1473

assister1535

assistant?1541

adminicle1551

mystery1581

second1590

auxiliatory1599

subsidium1640

suffragan1644

facilitation1648

adminiculary1652

auxiliary1656

auxiliar1670

ally1794

Boy Scout1918

assist1954

facilitator1987

c893 tr. Orosius Hist. iii. ii[i]. §1 (Sweet) 100 Crist is eaðmodegra help and ofermodigra fiell.

c1230 Hali Meid. 13 Ha is us swiðe god freond and help.

1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 3586 Four maners of helpes er general..Þat es to say, prayer and fastyng, And almus dede and messyng.

a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Gen. ii. 18 It is not good that a man be aloone; make we to hym an help lijk to hym self.

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry ii. f. 53 Some require stayes & helpes to clime by, as Hoppes, Lupines, & Pease.

1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 480 To giue him [sc. Adam] a wife, for a faithful companion..and a helpe like vnto himselfe.

1611 Bible (King James) Psalms xlvi. 1 God is our refuge and strength: a very present helpe in trouble.

1611 Bible (King James) Acts xxvii. 17 They vsed helps, vnder-girding the ship.

1657 M. Lawrence Use & Pract. Faith 73 He looks at a meet help as a portion promised from God.

1722 D. Defoe Relig. Courtship ii. i. 199 A Husband will be a sorry Help to a Wife, if he is not a Help in the religious Part of her Life.

1843 G. Buckle in Fleury's Eccl. Hist. II. 80 (note) Their business is..only to be a decent help to their own sex.

1874 J. S. Blackie On Self-culture 1 Books are no doubt very useful helps to knowledge.

3. A person, or company of persons, whose office it is to render help.

†a. gen. Assistant; adjutant.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun] > subsidiary or contributory help > a subsidiary help > person

helpa1325

yeoman1363

suffragana1450

assistant?1541

under-minister1543

under-aid1579

under-fellowa1586

adjutant1622

deacon1642

under-builder1651

subsidiary1661

under-instrument1673

helper1686

understrappera1704

âme damnée1797

bottle holder1816

acolyte1829

cad1836

bellows-blower1865

sidekick1893

side-kicker1894

Watson1927

stooge1955

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3409 And tagte him..Vnder him helpes oðere don.

1533 J. Bellenden tr. Livy Hist. Rome (1822) v. 475 To put all thare gudis and cariage togidder under ane helpe.

†b. An ally; plural allies, auxiliary troops. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > a companion or associate > [noun] > ally

allyc1425

alliancec1475

help1490

lyance1502

fellow helper?1531

confederator1536

confederate1548

league-friend1556

league-fellow1561

alliant1565

associate1569

co-ally1606

colleague1670

alliancer1694

colleaguera1734

society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > part of army by position > [noun] > second line

help1490

support1761

second line1797

1490 Caxton's Blanchardyn & Eglantine (1962) lii. 197 Wold Subyon or not, & all his helpes, the noble lady..was taken oute of his power.

a1500 (?c1450) Merlin vii. 113 Fro hens-forth thei hym deffien and his helpes.

c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 10803 For hope þat he hade of a helpe sone.

1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 ii. i. 178 Now if the helpe of Norffolke and my selfe..Can but amount to 48.

c. A person employed to give assistance in household or other manual work; in U.S., a hired labourer or servant, esp. a domestic servant. In U.S. apparently originally a person giving temporary or occasional assistance: cf. J. R. Lowell Among my Books 1st Ser. (1870) 251. lady help, a lady engaged as assistant and companion to the mistress of a house. mother's help, a young woman employed to help in the nursery, but in a position reckoned superior to that of a nurse-maid.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to status > [noun] > assistant

assistant?1541

adjacent1600

help1645

helper1686

aide1762

asst1782

tenter1894

offsider1904

runabout1957

ancillary1962

gofer1967

society > authority > subjection > service > servant > types of servant > [noun] > hireling

hiremanc975

hirelingc1000

leȝhemannc1175

allowes1348

merchantc1384

mercenaryc1387

hiring manc1425

pensioner1472

wageling?1545

pensionary1548

hired woman1639

help1645

engagee1808

1645 Mass. Col. Rec. II. 139 Such of his servants and helps as have been employed about y^e attendance of y^e court.

1742 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman Aug. i. 2 Next to them [sc. hired servants] we should be provided with auxiliary Helps.

1807 C. W. Janson Stranger in Amer. 87 I am Mr ——'s help. I'd have you know..that I am no sarvant.

1815 Massachusetts Spy 23 Aug. Our lady and gentleman ‘hired helps’ do not understand who is meant when their master is inquired for.

1818 H. B. Fearon Sketches Amer. 80 Servants, let me here observe, are called ‘helps’. If you call a servant by that name they leave you without notice.

1824 Examiner 200/2 The hiring of ‘a help’, anglicè a servant,—a word rejected in America.

1830 J. Galt Lawrie Todd III. vii. v. 49 At this moment..the help, or maiden-servant, came.

1838 J. F. Cooper Amer. Democrat 122 Those who aid their masters in the toil may be deemed ‘helps’, but they who perform all the labor do not assist..but they do it themselves.

1861 W. M. Thackeray Four Georges i. 26 Fourteen postilions; nineteen ostlers; thirteen helps.

1883 New Eng. Jrnl. Educ. 17 54 The Boston ‘help’ reads Dante while she prepares the succulent pork and beans.

a1899 Mod. Advertisements. Wanted, Lady Help. Wanted, Two superior domestic helps to undertake the duties of cook and housemaid. Wanted, young girl, as useful help. Mother's Help wanted immediately, to assist with two children and housework.

1899 Westm. Gaz. 4 Aug. 2/3 Judge: What is a ‘help’? Plaintiff: Well, she's a cook-housemaid-barmaid.

1949 ‘J. Tey’ Brat Farrar xi. 84 Lana, their ‘help’..‘obliged’ only because her ‘boy friend’ worked in the stables.

1971 Woman 13 Feb. 13/2 I gave Mrs. Candy, the daily help, a suit for her daughter.

d. The labour of hired persons; collective the body of servants belonging to a farm or household. Originally U.S.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > work > [noun] > work of hired persons

help1817

society > authority > subjection > service > servant > [noun] > servants collectively > of a family or household

hirdc888

peoplec1330

family1388

folk1577

serviturea1674

familia1729

servantry1784

help1850

1817 J. Bradbury Trav. Amer. 318 Ask one of them the reason, he replies, ‘I want help’.

1850 C. Lyell 2nd Visit U.S. (ed. 2) II. 303 The lady's sister..was obliged to milk the cow..such was the scarcity of ‘help’.

1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. III. xciv. 316 How simply the rooms are furnished, and how little ‘help’ (i.e. how few servants) is kept.

1896 W. D. Howells Impressions & Experiences 204 We were seven hundred and fifty at table, and the help who served us were three hundred and fifty.

1959 S. Gibbons Pink Front Door xviii. 221 The months when she had been without help had established Molly's unexpected visits as a habit.

1962 P. Mortimer Pumpkin Eater xi. 106 ‘We got help. I don't know why it's called help.’ ‘You mean servants?’ ‘We don't call them servants.’

†4. Avail, boot, good, use. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

1562 Bp. J. Pilkington Wks. (Parker Soc.) 30 There is no help to be disobedient and strive against him, for he will have the victory.

†a. Relief, cure, remedy. Obsolete except as in 5b.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > healing > [noun] > a cure or remedy

leechcraftc888

leechdoma900

bootOE

helpc1000

pigment?a1200

remedya1382

medicinea1393

application?a1425

sanativec1440

healer?1523

recovery1576

curative1577

mithridate1587

cure1623

presidy1657

therapeutic1842

therapeutical1845

the world > action or operation > amending > [noun] > remedy

helpc1000

healinga1225

remedy?c1225

bote of beam1330

recurec1330

recoverera1375

remeida1413

redemption?a1439

botmenta1450

recurementc1450

presidy?a1475

mendsa1525

repair1612

relief1616

booty beam1642

beyond retrieve1658

beyond retrieval1697

c1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 262 Gif þas fultumas ne syn helpe, læt blod þonne.

c1480 (a1400) St. Peter 44 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 8 Sindry oþir, at war leile, throw his schadow gat helpe and heile.

1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) i. 3 Not Aesculapius himself..can..give you the least helpe..so long as [etc.].

a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) iii. ii. 221 What's gone, and what's past helpe Should be past greefe.

1674 A. Cremer tr. J. Scheffer Hist. Lapland 8 Thir only help against these [winds] is to convey themselves into dens and caves.

b. Means of obviating or avoiding something; in there is no help for it = it cannot be helped (see help v. 11).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > necessity > necessity [phrase]

none other boota1225

needs must that needs shallc1330

no remedy buta1470

needs must when the Devil drivesc1500

what remedy?1511

there is no help for it1581

(there is) nothing for it but1845

1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) i. 26 There is no helpe in it, but you must settle your selfe to like of such men with their imperfections.

1669 W. Holder Elem. Speech 152 There is no help for it, but he must be taught accordingly to comply with that faulty way of writing.

1863 J. W. Carlyle Lett. III. 162 It is their way and there is no help for it.

1887 W. P. Frith Autobiogr. II. v. 112 I was really sorry to dispel my old friend's illusion; but there was no help for it.

6. A portion of food served; a ‘helping’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > amounts of food > [noun] > portion of food > portion served

sanda700

messc1300

servicec1330

help1809

round1839

serving1864

serve1868

helping1883

1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas IV. x. iii. 48 Between every succeeding help, my servants..filled our large glasses..with wine.

1872 A. I. Thackeray Old Kensington in Cornhill Mag. July 5 He asked her for a second help of cold pie at luncheon.

Compounds

C1. General attributive.

help-girl n.

ΚΠ

1863 E. C. Gaskell Cousin Phillis i, in Cornhill Mag. Nov. 633 Betty..carried off the great dish to the kitchen, where an old man..and a help-girl, were awaiting their meal.

help-giver n.

ΚΠ

c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme lxxi. 13 in Coll. Wks. (1998) II. 86 O my god, my sole help-giuer.

help-tune n.

ΚΠ

1855 R. Browning Saul vii Then I played the help-tune of our reapers.

help-work n.

ΚΠ

1883 Harper's Mag. Jan. 207/1 John Chinaman is in force here, as everywhere, for all help-work.

C2.

† help-ale n. [see ale n. 2] a rustic festival or merry-making in celebration of the completion of some work (e.g. haymaking) done with the help of neighbours (obsolete).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > social event > festive occasion > specific festivities > [noun] > other festivities

hoppingc1330

hocking1406

church ale1448

bid-alec1462

kirk-ale1543

maids' ale1547

quaff-tide1582

help-ale1587

clerk-ale1627

Chinese New Year1704

Rasa-yatra1767

spring festival1788

souling1813

gooding1818

walking day1826

yatra1827

triacontaëterid1839

pwe1842

Thomasing1847

hocking-ale1854

Mary-ale1857

Oktoberfest1859

Marymass1866

club-walking1874

Lag b'Omer1874

full moon festival1876

beerfest1877

Tanabata1880

Moon Festival1892

bierfest1908

sausage fest1908

Zar1931

rara1941

mas'1956

molimo1960

Kwanzaa1970

1587 W. Harrison Hist. Descr. Iland Brit. (new ed.) ii. i. 138/2 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) I The superfluous numbers of idle waks, guilds, fraternities, church-ales, helpe-ales, and soule-ales.

1643 G. Wither Campo-Musæ 42 Yea, baser then our Countrey Help-Ales are.

1675 R. Fane Let. 19 Apr. (MS.) Going to every feast and help ale within five miles round.

help-mate n. Chess a type of chess problem in which Black is required to play so that White may give mate in a certain number of moves.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > board game > chess > [noun] > problems

jeopardyc1369

problem1817

Indian problem1846

mover1868

Indian1878

retractive problem1890

waiting problem1891

retractor1893

help-mate1897

sui1897

miniature1903

waiter1906

grab theme1909

fairy chess1914

King's (or Queen's) Indian1931

1897 T. R. Rowland & F. Rowland Problem Art 91 Another class of problems..in which both players concur in endeavouring to effect the speediest mate—..which we term Help-mate Problems.

1913 A. C. White Sam Loyd 31 Whether Loyd was the inventor of the Help-mate problem..I do not know.

1966 New Statesman 11 Nov. 718/3 ‘Help-mate’..Black moves first and helps White to mate in a given number of moves.

Draft additions 1993

help-line n. [help-line n.] a telephone service which specializes in providing information, advice, and help with problems (of a particular kind).

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > information > action of informing > [noun] > source of information

intelligencera1586

hand1614

source1788

vein1838

reference work1839

reference source1888

the horse's mouth1928

help-line1980

society > communication > telecommunication > telegraphy or telephony > telephony > [noun] > telephone services

answering service1904

information1910

speaking clock1934

talking clock1936

TIM1936

telebus1942

wake-up service1946

subscriber trunk dialling1952

freephone1959

telephone hotline1961

WATS1962

call waiting1963

night line1970

phone-in1970

telephone helpline1970

help-line1980

line1983

Cellnet1984

chat line1984

Vodafone1984

telepoint1987

callback1992

the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > [noun] > adviser or counsellor > services or organizations providing > help-line

help-line1980

1980 N.Y. Times 19 Oct. (Westchester Weekly section) 16/4 Agencies to Coordinate Homebound Services..hired a social worker, set up a homebound helpline..and created public awareness and advocacy campaigns on behalf of shut-ins.

1984 Listener 11 Oct. 21/3 Finnish TV..carries public service advertisements advising endangered children to ring a special help-line.

1988 Woman 20 Feb. 13/2 Although Jenni seems to have the only official help-line in the country for battered husbands, there are other places where men can go for help.

Draft additions December 2004

help desk n. a service providing advice and assistance in a particular field (chiefly information technology), either for any interested party, or for employees within a particular company; the area or desk where such a service is based.

ΚΠ

1980 Times 8 May 32/6 (advt.) Information Scientist required for Customer Service/Help Desk Function to answer queries from European users.

1989 Precision Marketing 29 May 6/5 The helpdesk is designed to centralise the handling of certain pension enquiries from agencies and intermediaries as well as the public.

1995 Multimedia Today Apr. 25/1 Imagine how productive help desk staff would be if they could remotely logon to and take control of users' systems.

2001 D. Mitchell Number 9 Dream 376 Two identical receptionists at the helpdesk chime ‘Good morning’ in such angelic harmony that I am unsure which to speak to.

Draft additions June 2016

a cry (also call) for help and variants.

a. An urgent call for assistance.

ΚΠ

1579 E. Bicknoll Swoord agaynst Swearyng 42 The hoast pleadeth an action of burglarie, and maketh open cry for helpe vnto his neyghbours.

1612 S. Lennard tr. P. de Mornay Mysterie Iniquitie 645 These of thee with lowd cries for helpe doe pray, Helpe holie Father Leo.

1787 Contrast i. 39 Away she ran that instant, with shrill cries for help.

1829 Relig. Mag. Jan. 91/1 His calls for help were piercing and continual.

1910 W. McCay Little Nemo in Slumberland 30 Jan. in Little Nemo 1905–1914 (2000) 233/1 Wheo!..I hear a call for help!

1990 St. Louis (Missouri) Post-Dispatch (Nexis) 7 Feb. 1 a Neighbors and relatives listened helplessly to screams for help as a young couple and four children perished early Tuesday in a fire at their trailer home.

2011 Kamloops (Brit. Columbia) Daily News (Nexis) 27 Sept. a5 She heard a blood-stopping cry for help.

b. figurative and in figurative contexts. An indication of distress or of a need for help; esp. behaviour which expresses a person's overt or subconscious desire for attention or support (sometimes specifically with reference to threatened or attempted suicide).

ΚΠ

1836 H. Read Christian Brahmun I. ii. iv. 226 Their cry for help is heard in the sad tale of their miseries.

1894 Interior 30 Aug. 1111/1 The desperate condition of the heathen is, itself, a call for help, though the needy may be unconscious of their misery, and indifferent to it.

1933 W. B. Wolfe Nerv. Breakdown (1934) i. 2 In a nervous breakdown the whole personality declares a moratorium of normal activities, and both body and soul join in a cry for help.

1994 Sunday Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 25 Dec. 7 [The work is] a search for harmony or a scream for help, or a desire to abstract yourself through the painting, through the concerto, through the play.

1995 Independent 22 May 19/2 Malone makes a clear distinction between attempted suicides (impulsive cries for help) and suicide attempts (planned, genuine attempts to die).

2014 Washington Jewish Week 14 Aug. 15 Threats of suicide are often a cry for help.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

helpv.

Brit.

/hɛlp/, U.S.

/hɛlp/

Inflections: Past tense helped

/hɛlpt/, (archaic) holp

/həʊlp/; past participle helped, (archaic) holpen

/ˈhəʊlpən//-p(ə)n/;

Forms: 1. Present stem Old English helpan, Middle English helpen, Middle English–1600s helpe, Middle English– help; also Middle English elp, Middle English halp-, Middle English healp-, Middle English heolp-, 1500s healp, 1500s healpe. 2. Past tense. a. Strong. (i). 1st and 3rd singular.

α. Old English healp, Middle English hêlp, Middle English huelp. c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care v. 45 He..his healp.c1175 Lamb. Hom. 79 A preost..him nawiht ne help.a1300 Floriz & Bl. 761 Ho him rodde and help.c1410 Chron. Eng. 558 in J. Ritson Anc. Eng. Metrical Romanceës (1802) II He huelp hire brother.

β. Middle English halp. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1342 Hemm itt hallp.c1305 Judas 108 in Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) 110 He halp menie man.1470–85 T. Malory Morte d'Arthur ii. xiii Her blood halpe not the lady.1480 W. Caxton Chron. Eng. xiii. 15 His yongest doughter halp hym.

γ. 1500s–1600s holpe, 1500s– holp, 1500s– holpen (now U.S. regional). 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. ccxx. 283 The kyng of Cypre holpe them.1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates Warwick xvii I lyke wyse hym refused: And holpe vp Henry.c1571 E. Campion Two Bks. Hist. Ireland (1963) i. xv. 56 Who..holpe the Saxons.1859 Ld. Tennyson Guinevere in Idylls of King 227 Lancelot holp To raise the Prince.1890 Dial. Notes 1 68 Holp.., for helped. ‘He holp me out of the scrape.’1927 Amer. Speech 2 357/2 He holpen me over the creek.1931 Amer. Speech 6 230 Such old forms of English as..‘holp’ for ‘help’, and ‘effen’ for ‘if’ may be heard in the ordinary speech of the natives [of Oregon].] 1940 W. Faulkner Hamlet i. ii. 47 ‘Help him up.’ So the nigger holp Ab onto the horse.1962 E. B. Atwood Regional Vocab. Texas vi. 118 Items of nonstandard ‘grammer’ are usually considerably more frequent..in the less-educated group: for example clum (climbed), throwed, holp(ed).

(ii). 2nd singular Old English–Middle English hulpe, Old English–Middle English hulpe (subjunctive), Middle English holpe. c1000 Ags. Ps. (1835) lxx[i]. 20 Ðonne ðu..hulpe min.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 12033 But iff þatt godd himm hullpe þær.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 4454 Þu me hulpe [c1300 Otho holpe]. (iii). Plural.

α. Old English hulpon. OE Crist III 1353 Ge hyra hulpon ond him hleoð gefon, hingrendum hlaf ond hrægyl nacedum.c1000 Shrine 162/16 (Bosw.) Ða steortas hulpan ealle ðæs hæfdes.

β. Middle English holpen. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3382 Hise benes hem holpen wel.1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. vi. 108 To erie þis halue acre holpyn hym manye.1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) 1 Esdras x. 15 Mosollam, and Sebethai, Leuitus, holpen hem.

γ. Middle English hylpe, Middle English–1600s holpe, 1500s–1600s holp. c1320 tr. J. Bonaventura Medit. 922 Anone runne to alle..and hylpe.1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. vii. x. 255 Then his feeres and companions holpe to arme the younge Gentleman.1605 London Prodigall i. i These hands of mine holp to wind him.

δ. Middle English halp. c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) l. 2217 No his tvifold armes halp him nouȝt.

ε. Middle English heelp. 1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 130/1 All men..heelp them.

b. Weak Middle English helpet, Middle English helpid, Middle English helpit, Middle English helpyd, Middle English helpyt, Middle English– helped, 1500s–1800s helpt. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 20184 Freindes þat me..helped. 3. Past participle. a. Strong.

α. Old English– holpen, Middle English holpyn, Middle English holpyne. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6201 Eȝȝþerr birrþ þurrh oþerr beon hollpenn.c1340 R. Rolle Prose Treat. (1866) 28 Nede for to be lukede to and holpyne by þe.c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Ariadne. 1984 He shal ben holpyn.1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke i. f. lxxiij^v He..hath holpen his servaunt Israhel.1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads i. 378 If you have holpen Jove with word or deed.1856 E. B. Browning Aurora Leigh i. 24 I who was Entreated thus and holpen.1881 ‘M. Twain’ Prince & Pauper xix. 221 Of a truth I was right—he hath holpen in a kitchen.

β. Middle English hulpe, Middle English–1600s holpe, 1500s–1600s holp. 1382 J. Wyclif Psalms lxxxv[i]. 17 Thou Lord hast holpe me.1581 B. Rich Farewell Mil. Profession (1846) 14 We have..holpe them at many a pinche.1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 152 The hound must be holpe..with the voyce..of the hunter.1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 27 By drinking asses milke they be holpe.

b. Weak.

α. Middle English helpet, Middle English helpid, Middle English helpit, Middle English helpyd, Middle English helpyt, Middle English– helped, 1500s–1800s helpt. a1300 E.E. Psalter xxvii[i]. 7 In him hoped mi hert, and helped [v.r. hulpen] am I.1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads i. 553 I would have helpt you once.

β. 1500s–1600s holpt. 1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil First Foure Bookes Æneis ii. 29 Downe Menelaus is holpt.

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Common Germanic strong verb: Old English helpan, healp (hulpon), holpen = Old Frisian helpa, Old Saxon helpan (Dutch, Low German helpen), Old High German helfan (German helfen), Old Norse hjálpa (Swedish hjelpa, Danish hjelpe), Gothic hilpan, halp (hulpum), hulpans: Old Germanic ablaut series help-, halp-, hulp- (holp-). The expected pre-Germanic form is *kelb-: a root kelp- in same sense appears in Lithuanian szèlpti to help. Of the strong inflections, the normal Middle English past tense singular was halp; the plural was holpen (with o of past participle), later holp(e, which c1500 was extended also to the singular, and continued in frequent use till 17th cent.; it is now a rare archaism except in U.S. dialect use. The past participle holpen, kept alive by biblical and liturgical use, is still employed by poets and archaists (and occurs also in U.S. dialect); from 14th to 17th centuries it occurs shortened to holp(e. The weak inflection helped is found from c1300, and has gradually become the usual form. For other points see the Forms below.

Signification.

1. transitive. To furnish (a person, etc.) with what is serviceable to his efforts or his needs; to aid, assist.

a. To add one's own action or effort to that of (another) so as to make it more effectual; to further the action or purpose of. (See also sense 5b).In Old English construed with genitive or dative (as if = to be a helper of, helpful to), of which the former became obsolete and the latter ceased to be distinguishable from the accusative.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)]

helpc897

filsteOE

filsenc1175

gengc1175

succourc1250

ease1330

to do succourc1374

favour1393

underset1398

supply1428

aid1450

behelp1481

adminiculate?1532

subleve1542

to help a (lame) dog over a stile1546

adjuvate1553

to stand at ——1563

assista1578

opitulate1582

stead1582

bestead1591

help out (also through)1600

serve1629

facilitate1640

auxiliate1656

juvate1708

gammon1753

lame duck1963

piggyback1968

c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care v. 44 He nyle..helpan ðæs folces mid ðæm þe he [God] his healp.

a1000 Hymns (Gr.) vii. 44 Ðu monegum helpst.

c1000 Ags. Ps. (1835) lxx. 20 [lxxi. 21] Ðonne..ðu hulpe min.

a1035 Laws Cnut (Schmid) ii. c. 68 [69] Helpan aa þam raðost, þe helpes betst behofað.

a1067 Charter Eadweard in Cod. Dipl. IV. 206 Gode geuðe mine saule to helpene.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 4620 And þe eorl Aruiragus mid æðele help [c1300 Otho halp] his broðer.

1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Rev. xii. 16 The erthe helpide the womman.

1480 W. Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxxviii. 263 He worshyped halp and mayntened holy chirche and hir mynystres.

1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope iii. vi Fortune helpeth bothe the good and euylle folke.

1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Eng. 6/1 in Chron. I They fayne..that Jupiter holpe his sonne Hercules, by throwyng downe stones from heauen in this battayle.

1700 Gregory in C. R. L. Fletcher Collectanea (1885) I. 322 Machines for the helping and enlarging the sight (as telescopes).

1865 J. Ruskin Sesame & Lilies i. 69 A nation in its youth may be helped by laws, as a weak child by backboards.

b. To supply or relieve the wants or necessities of; to succour.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > types of help > [verb (transitive)] > aid in want

helpc950

relievea1387

beeta1400

to tide over1865

c950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xx. 30 Milsa us vel help usig sunu dauides.

c1000 Ælfric Homilies II. 442 We sceolon earmra manna helpan.

c1175 Lamb. Hom. 79 Þer com a prost bi þe weie and him nawiht ne help.

c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 9 Help þe hauelease.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 14172 Heo him heolpen at heȝere neoden.

1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 3567 Þe saules, þat til purgatory wendes, May be helped thurgh help of frendes.

1578 T. Tymme tr. J. Calvin Comm. Genesis 276 Who would haue suffered him rather to perish with hunger an hundred times than that they would haue holpen him in his need.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. ii. 113 Helpe me Cassius, or I sinke.

1733 A. Pope 1st Satire 2nd Bk. Horace Imitated ii. i. 17 To help who want, to forward who excel.

c. In subjunctive present, in invocations and oaths: esp. in so help me God, the customary formula in a solemn oath; and in God help him (also them, etc.), often a parenthetical exclamation of pity for the helpless condition of the person spoken of. Also elliptically so help me, and as a variant so help me bob. Cf. swelp adv.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > compassion > expression of pity [phrase]

God help him (also them, etc.)c1175

the heart bleedsc1374

the mind > language > statement > assertion or affirmation > [phrase] > formula used in taking an oath

so help me Godc1175

so God me speedc1330

so maideuxc1450

so help me bob1821

so help me1869

swelp1894

c1175 Lamb. Hom. 33 Ah swa me helpe drihten, þe ilke mon þe wule fulien alle his sunne lustes..ne kimeð he nefre inne heoueneriche.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2528 He ðat ðise lettres wrot, God him helpe, weli mot, And berge is sowle fro sorge & grot Of helle pine.

c1369 G. Chaucer Bk. Duchesse 550 I wolde as wys god helpe me soo Amende hyt yif I kan or may.

?1507 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen (Rouen) in Poems (1998) I. 45 I hait him with my hert, sa help me our Lord.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) iv. ii. 60 Now God helpe thee, poore Monkie.

1617 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. 190 I N N. sweare..that I will..and give my Voice..as God helpe me, [etc.].

1821 P. Egan Life in London ii. iii. 229 She tripped me up, my Lord, so help me bob, it is true.

1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess iii. 50 I never knew my father, but she says (God help her) she was wedded to a fool.

1868 Act 31 & 32 Victoria c. 72 §2 I..do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.

1869 A. Trollope Vicar of Bullhampton (1870) iii. 20 Just go home to father's, sir; not a foot else, s' help me.

1936 L. C. Douglas White Banners iv. 69 That he would never again..so help him..fritter away precious time.

1939 J. Joyce Finnegans Wake 118 So holp me Petault, it is not a miseffectual whyacinthinous riot of blots and blurs.

d. absol. or intransitive. To afford aid or assistance; often in imperative as a cry for assistance.See note to sense 1a as to Old English constr.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (intransitive)]

help?c1225

to shove at the cart1421

supply1446

assist?1518

to lend a hand (or a helping hand)1598

to hold handc1600

to put to one's hand (also hands)1603

seconda1609

subminister1611

to give (lend) a lift1622

to lay (a) hand1634

to give a hand1682

to bear a hand1710

to chip in1872

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > help [interjection]

help?c1225

Mayday1923

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > types of help > [verb (transitive)] > aid in trouble or danger

help?c1225

uptakea1300

relievec1400

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 237 Cause is hwi þu hit dudest. oðer hulpe oðer þer to.

c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 44 Help knyghtes, if ȝe may, I may no ferrer go.

c1420 Chron. Vilod. 447 Dan Benna halp ryȝt well þerto.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) ii. 416 Schyr Philip..gan cry, ‘Help help I have ye new-maid king!’

1584 T. Cogan Hauen of Health cxciv. 153 Yet the goodnes of the pasture helpeth much to the goodnes of y^e milke.

1591 Troublesome Raigne Iohn i. sig. B3 Help hands, I haue no lands, honour is my desire.

1611 Bible (King James) 2 Sam. xiv. 4 Shee fell on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and said, Helpe, O king.

1811 Ld. Byron Hints from Horace 817 Help, Christians, as ye hope for grace!

†2.

a. transitive. To benefit, do good to; to be of use or service to, to profit. Obsolete (except as implied in sense 1.)

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial to [verb (transitive)]

helpc1000

goodOE

steadc1175

to do (one) boot?c1225

advancec1330

profitc1330

availc1384

servea1398

vaila1400

vailc1400

prevail1442

advantage?1459

vantagec1460

bootc1540

benefit1549

conduce?1577

to serve (one) in some, no stead1601

bonify1603

answer1756

better1833

to stand to ——1841

to stand (a person or thing) in (good, etc.) stead1887

c1000 Inst. Polity in B. Thorpe Anc. Laws Eng. (1840) II. 332 Þonne helpe ge wel þam þe ge lærað, gif hi eowrum larum fyligean willað.

a1200 Moral Ode 297 Ne mai heom noþer helpen þer i-bede ne almesse.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 1439 Ne muȝt ham help na hali-hede, attyn to hel þai most nede.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) iii. l. 237 Bot los our men, it helpis ws rycht nocht.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Macc. ii. 13 What helpeth it vs then to lyue?

1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) i. 2 b To consider the things that helpe him, and the things that hurt him.

1582 in Bible (Rheims) Matt. xxv. 9 (margin) We shal not be holpen by other mens deserts at the day of iudgement.

1648 T. Gage Eng.-Amer. vi. 17 Iron, Knives, or such things which may help them in their Wars.

†b. absol. or intransitive. To be of use or service; to avail. Often quasi-impersonal. Obsolete (except as implied in sense 1d.)

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial [verb (intransitive)]

dowc950

frameOE

fremeOE

helpc1000

gainc1175

holdc1175

vail1303

yainc1325

it is speedfulc1340

profit1340

speedc1380

prowa1400

bootc1400

prevailc1450

avail1489

mister1490

skill1528

stead1594

advantagea1616

conduce1624

c1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 134 Wiþ fefre eft hylpð syndrigo marubie to drincanne.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8075 Heo rohten. þat heo inoh hafden þeh hit lutel hulpe [c1300 Otho holpe].

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 20271 Lat be weping, it helps noght.

c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 1956 What helpeth it to tarien forth the day.

1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Hist. Jason (1913) 102 Appollo..dyde all that he coude, but yt halpe not ner profited no thing.

1553 T. Wilson Arte Rhetorique (1580) 192 A similitude, whiche beyng dilated helpeth well for amplification.

1755 J. Wesley Primitive Physick (ed. 5) 96 Mustard, and Juice of Scurvy-grass help in a cold Scurvy.

1757 E. Burke Philos. Enq. Sublime & Beautiful ii. §4. 46 In reality a great clearness helps but little towards affecting the passions.]

3. reflexive.

a. To put forth needed effort in one's own behalf; to do of oneself what is needed; to extricate oneself from a difficulty.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > help someone [verb (reflexive)] > help oneself

helpa1225

a1225 Leg. Kath. 2103 Ha ne mahen nowðer Helpen ham seoluen, Ne heom þat ham seruið.

c1275 Laȝamon Brut 30390 For niþing worþe þe mon þat nele him seolue heolpe.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 16255 If þou wil noght help þi-self, men haldes þe for quede.

1551 T. Wilson Rule of Reason sig. Sj^v God will helpe them..if they helpe them selfes.

1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 iii. ii. 229 She is old and cannot helpe her selfe.

1860 R. W. Emerson Fate in Conduct of Life (London ed.) 15 He helps himself on each emergency by copying or duplicating his own structure, just so far as the need is.

1873 F. W. Robinson Little Kate Kirby I. iv. 45 I don't think that I shall require your assistance, or that I shall be unable to help myself.

1881 S. R. Gardiner & J. B. Mullinger Introd. Study Eng. Hist. viii. §3. 153 He [Cromwell] had no pleasure in ruling by force. But he could not help himself.

†b. with of or with: To make use of, avail oneself of. (= French se servir de). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > use or make use of [verb (transitive)]

noteOE

take?a1160

turnc1175

usec1300

to fare witha1340

benote1340

spenda1400

usea1400

weara1400

naitc1400

occupy1423

to put (also set) in work?a1425

practise?c1430

apply1439

employ?1473

to call upon ——1477

help1489

tew1489

handle1509

exercise1526

improvea1529

serve1538

feed1540

enure1549

to make (also take) (a) use of1579

wield1601

adoperate1612

to avail oneself ofa1616

prevail1617

to make practice of1623

ploy1675

occasion1698

to call on ——1721

subserve1811

nuse1851

utilize1860

1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes ii. xx. 133 We have holpen us of the saynges of the boke of Vegece.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) xxiv. 528 I byleve that this devyll helpeth himself wyth som devilry.

1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) ii. 50 b I judge them mervailous unfortunate that cannot helpe themselves with those qualities they are indued withall, at such time.

a1665 K. Digby Jrnl. Voy. to Mediterranean (1868) 64 Through..a dishonest desire to helpe himselfe of my being there.

c. with to: see senses 7, 8.

4. transitive. To make (an action, process, condition, etc.) more effectual; to assist in bringing about; to further, promote. See help forward, help on in sense 6.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > continuing > progress, advance, or further continuance > furtherance > further [verb (transitive)]

furtherc888

to bring onc1230

advancea1250

speeda1300

nourishc1300

avaunt1393

promotec1433

pasture?a1439

advantage?1459

promove1475

preferc1503

conduce1518

to set forth1528

to set forward(s)1530

to take forth1530

fillip1551

help1559

farther1570

foster1571

shoulder1577

to put forward1579

seconda1586

foment1596

hearten1598

to put on1604

fomentate1613

succeed1613

expeditea1618

producea1618

maturate1623

cultivate1641

encourage1677

push1693

forward1780

progress1780

admove1839

1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates Henry VI. xiv The other sinne, through humours holpe, which god doth highly hate.

a1626 F. Bacon Sylva Sylvarum (1627) §364 If you make the Earth narrower at the bottome than at the Top..it will helpe the Experiment.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vi. 656 Thir armor help'd thir harm.

1700 S. L. tr. C. Schweitzer Relation Voy. in tr. C. Frick & C. Schweitzer Relation Two Voy. E.-Indies 355 We were forced to Eat Bacon..Raw, and afterwards help the Digestion of it with Indian Brandy.

1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People ii. §6. 90 The troubles of the time helped here as elsewhere the progress of the town.

5. With infinitive or clause:

a. With infinitive alone. (This may either arise through ellipsis of the object in sense 5b, or may be a use of sense 4 with infinitive object.)In this and sense 5b the infinitive has normally to, which however from 16th cent. is often omitted: this is now a common colloquial form.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (intransitive)] > in bringing about

helpc1175

to give (or strike) a good stroke1531

c1175 Lamb. Hom. 37 To seke gan, and þa deden helpen to buriene.

c1320 tr. J. Bonaventura Medit. 922 And hylpe þat precyus body to bere.

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 135 Theodorus..halp to putte Wilfridus out of his bisshopricke.

c1410 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (Gibbs MS.) l. 104 I halp to burye hym.

1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke 6 b To helpe garnishe his mother tongue.

1598 R. Barckley Disc. Felicitie of Man iii. 212 He proued so good a scholer, that it holpe to worke the destruction of his owne soule, and many others.

1616 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliad xiii, in Whole Wks. Homer 182 Many helpfull men, That..would then Helpe beare his mightie seuen-fold shield.

1625 C. Burges New Discouery Personal Tithes 18 Yet is hee still..bound to help maintaine his Minister, if he be in want.

1735 A. Pope Epist. to Arbuthnot (new ed.) 248 He help'd to bury whom he help'd to starve.

1853 T. T. Lynch Lect. Self-improvem. iii. 58 All the leaves that helped nourish it.

1862 J. Tyndall Mountaineering in 1861 vi. 55 Such thoughts had a dynamic value, and helped to lift me over the rocks.

1941 Punch 2 July 13/3 Sir Kingsley Wood..asked the House for another £1,000,000,000, to help pay for the next three months of war.

b. With object and infinitive. To aid or assist (a person to do something). (See sense 1.)

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > (a person) to do something

helpc1175

steadc1175

piggyback1968

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1342 Forr hemm itt hallp biforenn godd To clennsenn hemm off sinne.

a1300 Cursor Mundi 28363 Or help oþer men to sing.

1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. vii. 99 To heren þis half-Acre helpen him ful monye.

c1430 J. Lydgate Compl. Black Knight xxvi But who shal helpe me now for to compleyne.

?1535 M. Coverdale Goostly Psalmes f. xlii^v I wyll helpe synners turne to the.

1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 400 The Envoy help'd him to put it on.

1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World viii. 214 Every Ships company made [canoas] for themselves, but we all helped each other to launch them.

1852 M. Arnold Empedocles on Etna, & Other Poems i. i I would fain stay and help thee tend him.

1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xi. 49 The hereditary enemies of his house had helped him to mount a throne.

1936 Punch 1 Apr. 375/1 I suppose you two fellows wouldn't help me get the stuff into the coal-cellar, would you?

1940 Punch 5 June 620/3 The collection of waste~paper that's going to help us win the war.

1971 D. E. Westlake I gave at Office (1972) 121 None of the locals..had any desire to help us off-load the plane.

†c. With object clause: To procure or assist in procuring (that something should be done). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > carrying out > execute, perform, or carry out [verb (transitive)] > achieve or effect

helpc1410

obtain?a1425

procurec1425

practise?a1439

upholdc1450

furnish1477

to bring about1480

to bring to passc1513

conduce1518

contrive1530

to make good1535

moyen1560

effect1581

effectuatea1586

to level out1606

operate1637

to carry offa1640

efficiate1639

work1761

engineer1831

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > help that something be done

helpc1410

c1410 T. Hoccleve Mother of God 136 Helpith me þat I may my lyf amende.

c1440 Gesta Romanorum (Harl.) i. 1 I woll wite, if þou cowde helpe þat he were ded by ony Crafte.

a1500 Merchant & Son 49 in W. C. Hazlitt Remains Early Pop. Poetry Eng. (1864) I. 136 Be yowre bettur avyse, Helpe y had a gode maystyr to teche me marchandyse.

a. Elliptically with adverbs or prepositions: = to help to proceed, go, come, or ‘get’ (away, down, forward, in, off, on, out, up, etc.; to, into, out of, etc.). See also sense 7.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > to proceed

firkOE

helpc1200

c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 103 Aris, louerd, and elp me up.

1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. iii. 38 Trewe charite That most helpeþ men to heuene.

a1425 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Galba) l. 25390 Askinges seuyn þat helpes vs to þe blis of heuyn.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Matt. x. 21 Chyldren shall aryse agaynst their fathers & mothers & shall helpe them to deeth.

1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 89/2 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) II It was holpen forward by Thomas Canon.

1594 W. Shakespeare Titus Andronicus ii. iii. 209 Why dost not comfort me and help me out From this vnhollow, and bloodstained hole.

1602 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor iii. iii. 132 Helpe me to conuey me hence.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) v. v. 268 A Hangman to helpe him to bed.

1641 Naunton's Fragmenta Regalia sig. F To helpe on his Catastrope.

1781 W. Cowper Charity 522 Strange! how the frequent interjected dash, Quickens a market, and helps off the trash.

1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems x. 8 Had it helped me to profit or to money.

1886 J. Fothergill Borderland (1887) xxix. 337 I am thankful to be helped forward a bit.

1886 G. T. Stokes Ireland & Celtic Church (1888) 349 You can all do something to help on that work.

b. With adverb (or adverbial phrase) followed by with: = to help (a person) to put, take, or get something (on, off, up, down, etc.); esp. in reference to clothing, e.g. to help (a person) on (also off) with his coat = to help him to get it on (or off).

ΚΠ

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 901 Þan men haueden holpen him doun With þe birþene of his croun.

1553 T. Wilson Arte Rhetorique (1580) 170 Helpe me of with my bootes and my spurres.

1570 in J. Raine Depositions Courts Durham (1845) 166 He..helpt the said Holmes on with his mess clothes.

1698 H. Wanley in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eminent Literary Men (1843) (Camden) 258 I did all in my power..to help her off with above £400 worth of her books.

1886 F. W. Robinson Courting Mary Smith vi. iv If you will help me on with my coat.

a1898 Mod. Help me up the hill with this load.

c. help out (also through): to afford assistance in completing something; to eke out, supplement. Also absol.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)]

helpc897

filsteOE

filsenc1175

gengc1175

succourc1250

ease1330

to do succourc1374

favour1393

underset1398

supply1428

aid1450

behelp1481

adminiculate?1532

subleve1542

to help a (lame) dog over a stile1546

adjuvate1553

to stand at ——1563

assista1578

opitulate1582

stead1582

bestead1591

help out (also through)1600

serve1629

facilitate1640

auxiliate1656

juvate1708

gammon1753

lame duck1963

piggyback1968

the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > make complete [verb (transitive)] > complete, fill up, or make up > by supplying what is wanting

performa1382

supplyc1480

upmake1485

to make up1488

mend?a1505

to stop, to fill (in or up), to supply a gap?1523

to eke out1596

help out (also through)1600

size1608

echea1616

inch out1620

to eke up1633

supplete1664

lengthen1670

supplement1749

to husband out1762

sort1880

piecenc1900

1600 E. Fairfax tr. T. Tasso Godfrey of Bulloigne ii. iii. 20 Boldest harts good fortune helpeth out.

1619 E. M. Bolton tr. Florus Rom. Hist. i. iii. 15 Horatius..helping out his valour with his wit.

1709 Tatler No. 101. ⁋7 I must desire my Readers to help me out..in the Correction of these my Essays.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 59. ¶6 She..helps out his Verse, and furnishes him with Rhymes.

1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 125 They have given me a Bag of Bread too, and a Salt Fish and some Flesh; so all helps out.

1722 W. Wollaston Relig. of Nature ix. 194 To expect omnipotence should interpose to help out a bad cause.

1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering III. v. 86 I will sit wi' you..and help you out wi' your bottle.

1874 L. B. Walford Mr. Smith (1876) xxx. 261 I looked to you, and you wouldn't say a word to help me out.

1917 Dial. Notes 4 413 Holp v. tr., to help. ‘I axed him to holp me out.’

d. To render assistance in dealing with.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > help in dealing with (something)

help1924

1924 A. D. Sedgwick Little French Girl i. v. 38 If he sat there..not helping with the water-cans, the baskets of flowers, the scissors, it was because he loved her and wanted to watch her.

1933 Punch 26 July 104/2 ‘Poetry. I believe people use it in exams to remember rules..and things...’ ‘That wouldn't help with Greek and Latin,’ said Charles.

e. to help the police in (also with) their inquiries: to be questioned by the police in connection with a crime, often regarded as having the implication of being the chief suspect; also to help the police, to help with inquiries.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > law enforcement > investigation of crime > investigate crime [verb (intransitive)] > be interrogated

to help the police in (also with) their inquiries1957

1957 Times 3 Sept. 4/3 The police are anxious to trace an itinerant photographer... It is believed that he may be able to help them in their inquiries.

1970 Guardian 10 Nov. 20/4 A man was helping police last night after the body of Susan Young, aged 12..was found.

1971 ‘J. Fraser’ Death in Pheasant's Eye xxvi. 162 What's the deadline for arresting Stanley Robinson? At the moment he's ‘helping with enquiries’.

1972 V. C. Clinton-Baddeley To study Long Silence ii. 72 In newspaper language..the man who is ‘helping the police’ is the chap who's being badgered into a confession.

1973 Sunday Times 14 Oct. 1/1 A 17-year-old girl..was found battered to death... Later, a man was helping police with their inquiries.

7. help (a person) to (also † with): to help him to attain to, to aid in obtaining; hence, to furnish, provide, or present with. help oneself to: to provide oneself with, take for oneself; euphemistic to appropriate (something not one's own), to steal. Also simply to help oneself. Cf. sense 8.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > to attain or obtain

help (a person) to (also with)c1380

the mind > possession > supply > provide or supply (something) [verb (transitive)] > provide or supply (a person or thing) with anything

feather?c1225

serve?c1225

astore1297

purveya1325

purveyc1325

warnishc1330

supply1384

bego1393

garnish?a1400

stuff14..

instore1432

relievec1480

providec1485

appurvey1487

support?1507

furnishc1515

repair1518

supply1529

speed1531

help (a person) to (also with)1569

sort1598

suffice1600

enduea1616

starta1640

employ1690

find1713

to fix out1725

issue1737

service1969

the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > steal [verb (intransitive)]

stealc725

thievec920

bribec1405

pluck?a1425

prowl1546

strike1567

to make away with1691

fake1819

snam1824

snig1862

to help oneself1868

boost1912

score1914

snoop1924

the mind > possession > taking > taking possession > take possession [verb (intransitive)] > appropriate

to help oneself1868

c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 78 Goddis lawe helpeþ hem not her-to.

1458 in J. H. Parker Some Acct. Domest. Archit. (1859) III. 43 Gentil Jeffray, That clothed many a pore man to bed and to rige, And hathe holpe to rentis to holde up this waye.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Macc. viii. 13 Whom they wolde helpe to their kyngdomes.

1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 1165 The Emperors dominions, had holpen them with corne.

1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay Nauigations Turkie ii. i. 31 b Desiring him too helpe him with a barrell of fresh water, for that theirs began to stinke.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) iv. ii. 83 Helpe me to a Candle, and pen, inke, and paper.

1674 A. Cremer tr. J. Scheffer Hist. Lapland 142 I have not met with any one that could help me to the exact shape of them.

1709 J. Swift Let. conc. Sacramental Test 11 I will help you to enough of them.

1868 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 138 Not quite as bad as the ants, who walked in and helped themselves.

1883 E. Blackwell Booth iv. 31 They helped themselves freely to the furniture of an uninhabited house.

a. To serve (a person) with food at a meal. Const. to.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > serving food > [verb (transitive)] > serve person

servec1275

to serve forth1381

rewarda1495

to carve toa1533

to serve in1629

help1688

1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. at Help Shall I help you to a piece of Veal?

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 119. ¶4 He will not help himself at Dinner 'till I am served.

1740 S. Richardson Pamela II. 110 So I carv'd it in a Trice, and helped the Ladies.

1762 O. Goldsmith Citizen of World I. 136 I..begged to be helped from a piece of beef.

1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth vi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 139 He did not help himself to any food.

1881 C. Gibbon Heart's Probl. (1884) xi. 171 Maurice..helped himself to a bumper of sherry.

absolute.1888 W. Besant Fifty Years Ago vii. 121 The host sat behind the haunch of mutton, and ‘helped’ with zeal.

b. transferred. To serve, distribute (food) at a meal.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > serving food > [verb (intransitive)]

servec1275

sewc1440

pour1539

to wait on the cup, the trencher, the table1552

sewerc1553

wait1568

to wait up1654

to serve away1709

help1805

to wait (the) table1827

to sling hash1860

to be mother1934

1805 E. Clark Banks of Douro II. 191 A goose..which [she] carved and helped to every person that chose to have any of it.

1829 F. Marryat Naval Officer I. iv. 99 My father..was in the very midst of helping his soup.

1876 W. Besant & J. Rice Golden Butterfly II. iii. 53 There's a fate in it..it is helped, and must be eaten.

1889 J. K. Jerome Three Men in Boat 221 I want a spoon to help the gravy with.

1919 V. Woolf Night & Day xxxi. 2 She behaves very oddly. She forgets to help the pudding.

1938 M. K. Rawlings Yearling i. 11 Ma Baxter sat at the table waiting for them, helping their plates.

c. help-yourself n. used attributively esp. of a restaurant or cafeteria where one serves oneself, or of the meal obtained there; also as n. Also transferred.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > eating > eating place > [adjective] > types of eating-house

stand-up1872

quick-lunch1891

sit-down1891

help-yourself1894

quick-and-dirty1908

serve-self1908

drive-through1918

tea-shoppy1931

full-service1934

snack bar1940

fast-casual1995

1894 M. Fry Let. in E. H. Jones Margery Fry (1966) v. 37 Then at 1 is lunch..a help-yourself meal and you get up and come away as soon as you've done without waiting for anyone else.

1923 Mod. Lang. Notes Mar. 188 Every one knows by this time that a cafeteria is a ‘help yourself’ restaurant.

1955 T. H. Pear Eng. Social Differences 183 The ‘help yourself’ cafeteria system.

1959 Good Food Guide 280 There is an à la carte menu and a ‘help-yourself’ lunch for the hasty at 6/6.

1961 Times Lit. Suppl. 13 Oct. 712/5 Up to a point he has invented the help-yourself novel.

1967 ‘A. Gilbert’ Visitor iii. 38 I got a cup of coffee and a sandwich at a help-yourself, and went back to the flat.

9. To succour in some distress or misfortune (cf. sense 1); (hence) to deliver, save, set free, relieve (from, of); spec. to relieve or cure of a disease, or of some evil condition. Obsolete or archaic.

ΚΠ

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 87 He ne halp him seolf in in his muchele pine.

c1386 G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale 1126 I haue yow holpe on bothe youre eyen blynde.

c1386 G. Chaucer Frankl. T. 577 Thanke yow lord and lady myn Venus That me han holpen fro my cares colde.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 5727 He helpid þaim of þair wa.

c1420 Pallad. on Husb. vii. 6 This helpith whete From auntys and fro mys.

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 15 To vse such remedies..as haue holpen others of like diseases.

1578 J. Lyly Euphues f. 35^v Doth not Treacle as wel poyson as helpe if it be taken out of time?

1594 H. Plat Jewell House 59 (heading) To helpe beere that beginneth to soure.

1683 W. Salmon Doron Medicum iii. 647 Some have been helpt of blindness by the use thereof.

1842 Ld. Tennyson Mariana in South (rev. ed.) iii, in Poems (new ed.) I. 88 Mother, give me grace To help me of my weary load.

1870 Ld. Tennyson Victim i Help us from famine And plague and strife!

10.

a. To relieve or cure (a malady, etc.); to remedy, amend. Obsolete or archaic.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > healing > heal or cure [verb (transitive)]

lechnec900

helpc950

beetc975

healc1000

temperc1000

leechc1175

amendc1300

halec1330

soundc1374

sanec1386

warishc1386

defenda1400

rectifya1400

salve1411

lokenc1425

redress?c1425

recure?a1439

guarish1474

cure1526

medify1543

recover1548

resanate1599

sanate1623

sain1832

the world > action or operation > amending > put right [verb (transitive)]

helpc950

amendc1230

bootc1330

correctc1374

menda1375

recovera1398

dighta1400

restorea1400

redressa1402

recurec1425

remedyc1425

remeidc1480

emendc1485

richa1500

rightena1500

chastisea1513

rectifya1529

redeem1575

salve1575

remed1590

reclaim1593

renew1608

retrieve1625

recruit1673

raccommode1754

splice1803

doctor1829

remediate1837

right-side1847

sort1948

c950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark ix. 24 Ic gelefo, help un-geleaffulnise minne.

1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) iv. iii. 83 The Tysyk and Etyk and other suche euylles may vneth be holpe by socour of medycynes.

c1410 T. Hoccleve Mother of God 33 Helpe my distresse.

1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy i. vi All her ill was holpe and remedyed.

1573 J. Partridge Treasurie Commodious Conceits lxvii. sig. F.vij^v How to make a soueraigne Water... The Vertues of this Water bee these: it comforteth the spirits,..it helpeth the Tooth ache.

1576 G. Baker tr. C. Gesner Newe Jewell of Health iii. f. 130^v This helpeth poysoning, and comforteth al the members.

1594 H. Plat Jewell House 72 (heading) How to helpe smoking Chimnies.

1745 A. Pope Ess. Man (rev. ed.) iii. 59 He only knows, And helps [earlier edd. feels], another creature's wants and woes.

1842 Ld. Tennyson Locksley Hall in Poems (new ed.) II. 102 But the jingling of the guinea helps the hurt that Honour feels.

b. To mend, repair. Obsolete or dialect.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > manufacturing processes > mending or repairing > [verb (transitive)]

beetc975

menda1200

amenda1250

rightc1275

botcha1382

reparela1382

cure1382

repaira1387

dighta1400

emend1411

to mend up1479

restablishc1500

help1518

trimc1520

redub1522

reparate1548

accommodate1552

reinstaure1609

reconcinnate1623

to do up1647

righta1656

fixa1762

doctor1829

vamp1837

service1916

rejig1976

1518 Churchwardens' Accts. St. Michael Spurriergate, York For helpyng ye sacrynbell at Mary Mawdland alter.

1527 Churchwardens' Accts. St. Michael Spurriergate, York Paid for helpyng of Sir Herry surples.

1847–78 J. O. Halliwell Dict. Archaic & Provinc. Words Help, to mend, or repair.

11.

a. To remedy, obviate, prevent, cause to be otherwise. (With can, cannot, or some equivalent.)In earlier use usually in passive ‘it cannot be helped’, later in active with personal subject ‘I cannot help it’ = I cannot do anything to remedy or prevent it.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > hinder completely or prevent [verb (transitive)] > obviate > obviate or cause to be otherwise

help1584

1584 T. Cogan Hauen of Health cxciv. 153 But this last inconuenience may be holpen as he teacheth afterward.

1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Cc4 Deficient they are no doubt..but the deficience cannot bee holpen .

a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) iii. i. 240 Cease to lament for that thou canst not helpe .

1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 401 If so bee that ships bee cast away..it cannot bee helped.

1668 S. Pepys Diary 18 June (1976) IX. 244 One thing there is in his accounts that I fear may touch me; but I shall help it, I hope.

1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 43. ⁋3 If other People are not of our Opinion, we can't help that.

1866 A. Trollope Belton Estate I. viii. 193 How can I help it that I am not a man and able to work for my bread?

1890 W. Besant Demoniac v. 60 You do not believe. Well, we cannot help that.

1963 Sunday Express 3 Mar. 2/5 You are aware that the archdeacon swears that he never wears pyjamas?—I can't help that.

b. To prevent oneself from, avoid, refrain from, forbear; to do otherwise than. (With can, cannot.) Usually with vbl. n. (rarely infinitive), or it = doing it.For quot. 1894: cf. but conj. 9c(e).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from (action) [verb (transitive)] > avoid or shun > avoid (doing something)

help1697

1697 in W. S. Perry Hist. Coll. Amer. Colonial Church: Virginia (1870) I. 39 I was very unwilling to take a Scotch Schoolmaster if I could have holpen it.

1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 155. ⁋2 I..cannot help hearing the improper Discourses.

1741 Ld. Chesterfield Let. Aug. (1932) (modernized text) II. 471 Ovid..could not help thinking in verse, whether he would or not.

1757 R. Griffith & E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances I. cxxii. 229 I can't help frequently to haunt and revisit these dear Scenes.

1772 H. Walpole Last Jrnls. (1859) I. 38 I thought he should not offend the King if he could help it.

1808 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 13 528 No man can help being a coward or a fool.

1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia II. x. iii. 613 Not one of us could help laughing.

1865 C. Kingsley Hereward II. xvi. 276 He could not help to weep and sigh, but yet himself he would not forget.

1883 Manch. Guard. 22 Oct. 5/6 A few such blunders as these could scarcely have been helped.

1894 H. Caine Manxman i. ix. 43 She could not help but plague the lad.

1928 Manch. Guardian Weekly 5 Oct. 263/4 If clairvoyants are to be attached to police stations they can hardly help but become officials.

1952 G. Sarton Hist. Sci. I. xxi. 526 They were brutally raped by conquistadors..who could not help increase geographic knowledge.

c. Idiomatically with negative omitted (can for cannot), after a negative expressed or implied.

ΚΠ

1862 Whately in Good Words Aug. 496 In colloquial language it is common to hear persons say, ‘I won't do so-and-so more than I can help’, meaning, more than I can not help.

1864 J. H. Newman Apologia 25 Your name shall occur again as little as I can help, in the course of these pages.

1879 C. H. Spurgeon Serm. XXV. 250 I did not trouble myself more than I could help.

1885 ‘E. Lyall’ In Golden Days III. xv. 316 I do not believe we shall be at the court more than can be helped.

Draft additions July 2010

not if I (he, she, etc.) can (also could) help it: used to indicate that the person specified will try to ensure that something (mentioned earlier) does not come to pass; cf. sense 11a, not if I know it at know v. Phrases 15b.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > statement > refusal > [phrase]

not if I can help it1682

I'll be far (enough) if1752

I'll be shot (occasionally shortened to shot!) if1761

to have none of it1849

not if you paid me1853

not likely1878

that's your problem1951

1682 A. Behn False Count i. i. 2 Car. How, Are not you to marry his Daughter Isabella? Anto. Not, if I can help it, Sir.

1769 ‘Coriat Junior’ Another Traveller! II. ii. 15 I shall murder it by my description!—not if I can help it—I have too great a veneration for the character to injure it in the smallest degree.

1840 Times 14 May 5 ‘She is to be transported for incendiarism.’ ‘Not if I can help it,’ promptly replied the Lord-Lieutenant.

1921 R. A. Maher Wks. of Satan 307 Left to themselves, they wouldn't spend a night in the woods, not if they could help it.

1991 C. Skye Black Rose viii. 110 Hawkins would never find his man. Not if Tess could help it!

2003 I. Rankin Question of Blood (2004) ii. 40 ‘You ever listen to heavy metal, Siobhan?’ ‘Not if I can help it.’

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	help
释义	helpn. Brit. /hɛlp/, U.S. /hɛlp/ Forms: Old English help, helpe, Middle English– help, (Middle English–1600s helpe, Middle English heelpe, hilp, hylp, Middle English (?) holp, 1500s healpe). Etymology: Old English help = Old Frisian helpe , Old Saxon helpa (Middle Dutch and Middle Low German helpe , help ), Old High German helfa , hilfa (Middle High German helfe , hilfe ), Old Norse hjalp (Swedish, Danish hjelp ) < Germanic helpâ strong feminine; < stem of helpan* to help v. In Old English the noun was also strong masculine or neuter (genitive helpes) and weak feminine (accusative helpan). The continental languages have also a form from the ablaut-grade hulp-, Old High German hulfa, Middle German hulfe, Old Low German hulpa, Middle Dutch hulpe, hulp, Dutch hulp, German hülfe. 1. a. The action of helping; the supplementing of action or resources by what makes them more efficient; aid, assistance, succour. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun] fultumeOE help971 succour?c1225 abetc1330 succouringc1330 speedc1340 subsidya1387 rescousc1390 chevisancea1400 juvamentc1400 supply1420 aid1430 favour1434 supplying1436 suffrage1445 availa1450 boteningc1450 succurrancec1450 adjuvancea1460 assistance1495 meeda1500 subventiona1500 suppliancea1500 adjutory?a1513 sistancea1513 adminiculation1531 abetment1533 assisting1553 adjument1576 society1586 aidance1593 opitulation1598 secourse1598 second1605 suppeditation1605 assistency1642 auxiliation1657 adjutancy1665 adjuvancy1677 abettal1834 sustenance1839 constructiveness1882 971 Blickl. Hom. 105 Hwa him to hæle and to helpe and to feorhnere on þas world astag. OE Beowulf 1552 Nemne him heaðobyrne helpe gefremede. c1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Ȝe me þenne clepiað and helpes me biddað. a1225 Juliana 33 Habbe ich þin anes help. c1380 J. Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 28 Þou art goon out in heelpe of þi folk. c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 1030 Wiþ þe hilp of god almiȝt. c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 3208 Hylp on hem nys none. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 122 Al þis werld, or þis bok blin, Wit cristes help I sal ouer-rin. 1477 Earl Rivers tr. Dictes or Sayengis Philosophhres (Caxton) (1877) lf. 7 By whiche ye atteyne helpe of the holy gost. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid viii. ix. (heading) Evander sendis his son..in help of Eneas. 1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 88 Calling out for helpe. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 281. ¶4 By the help of our Glasses [we] discerned in it Millions of little Scars. 1781 S. Johnson Pope in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets VII. 224 He..neither went to bed nor rose without help. 1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. ii. 208 To learn that the princes of the House of Stuart needed his help, and were willing to purchase that help by unbounded subserviency. b. With a and plural. An act of helping, an aid. (Now rare, or merged in sense 2.) ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun] > helping > an act of helping helpa1300 servicea1413 assist1597 hand-up1871 a1300 Cursor Mundi 23759 His helpes and vr wittes eke. c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 7166 All the Troiens..Helit þere hurt men þurgh helpis of leches. 1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. Jas. iv. f. xxxvii Let vs distruste oure owne helpes and the helpes of this worlde. 1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 27 The Helps we have receiv'd from the Microscope. 1775 E. Burke Corr. (1844) II. 72 I am perfectly sensible of the greatness of the difficulties, and the weakness and fewness of the helps. 1883 R. L. Stevenson Treasure Island ii. xii. 96 I'll ask you, later on, to give us a help. †c. at help: in the quarter for helping, in (our, etc.) favour. ΚΠ 1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iv. iii. 43 The Barck is ready, and the wind at helpe . View more context for this quotation 2. transferred. Any thing or person that affords help; a source or means of assistance; an aid. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun] > that which or one who helps or means of help redeeOE helpc893 bootOE friendOE lithc1275 helpera1300 a helping handa1300 helpingc1330 bieldc1352 succour?a1366 supplementc1384 easementa1398 succourer1442 aid?1473 assister1535 assistant?1541 adminicle1551 mystery1581 second1590 auxiliatory1599 subsidium1640 suffragan1644 facilitation1648 adminiculary1652 auxiliary1656 auxiliar1670 ally1794 Boy Scout1918 assist1954 facilitator1987 c893 tr. Orosius Hist. iii. ii[i]. §1 (Sweet) 100 Crist is eaðmodegra help and ofermodigra fiell. c1230 Hali Meid. 13 Ha is us swiðe god freond and help. 1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 3586 Four maners of helpes er general..Þat es to say, prayer and fastyng, And almus dede and messyng. a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Gen. ii. 18 It is not good that a man be aloone; make we to hym an help lijk to hym self. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry ii. f. 53 Some require stayes & helpes to clime by, as Hoppes, Lupines, & Pease. 1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 480 To giue him [sc. Adam] a wife, for a faithful companion..and a helpe like vnto himselfe. 1611 Bible (King James) Psalms xlvi. 1 God is our refuge and strength: a very present helpe in trouble. View more context for this quotation 1611 Bible (King James) Acts xxvii. 17 They vsed helps, vnder-girding the ship. View more context for this quotation 1657 M. Lawrence Use & Pract. Faith 73 He looks at a meet help as a portion promised from God. 1722 D. Defoe Relig. Courtship ii. i. 199 A Husband will be a sorry Help to a Wife, if he is not a Help in the religious Part of her Life. 1843 G. Buckle in Fleury's Eccl. Hist. II. 80 (note) Their business is..only to be a decent help to their own sex. 1874 J. S. Blackie On Self-culture 1 Books are no doubt very useful helps to knowledge. 3. A person, or company of persons, whose office it is to render help. †a. gen. Assistant; adjutant. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > [noun] > subsidiary or contributory help > a subsidiary help > person helpa1325 yeoman1363 suffragana1450 assistant?1541 under-minister1543 under-aid1579 under-fellowa1586 adjutant1622 deacon1642 under-builder1651 subsidiary1661 under-instrument1673 helper1686 understrappera1704 âme damnée1797 bottle holder1816 acolyte1829 cad1836 bellows-blower1865 sidekick1893 side-kicker1894 Watson1927 stooge1955 a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3409 And tagte him..Vnder him helpes oðere don. 1533 J. Bellenden tr. Livy Hist. Rome (1822) v. 475 To put all thare gudis and cariage togidder under ane helpe. †b. An ally; plural allies, auxiliary troops. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > a companion or associate > [noun] > ally allyc1425 alliancec1475 help1490 lyance1502 fellow helper?1531 confederator1536 confederate1548 league-friend1556 league-fellow1561 alliant1565 associate1569 co-ally1606 colleague1670 alliancer1694 colleaguera1734 society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > part of army by position > [noun] > second line help1490 support1761 second line1797 1490 Caxton's Blanchardyn & Eglantine (1962) lii. 197 Wold Subyon or not, & all his helpes, the noble lady..was taken oute of his power. a1500 (?c1450) Merlin vii. 113 Fro hens-forth thei hym deffien and his helpes. c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 10803 For hope þat he hade of a helpe sone. 1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 ii. i. 178 Now if the helpe of Norffolke and my selfe..Can but amount to 48. c. A person employed to give assistance in household or other manual work; in U.S., a hired labourer or servant, esp. a domestic servant. In U.S. apparently originally a person giving temporary or occasional assistance: cf. J. R. Lowell Among my Books 1st Ser. (1870) 251. lady help, a lady engaged as assistant and companion to the mistress of a house. mother's help, a young woman employed to help in the nursery, but in a position reckoned superior to that of a nurse-maid. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to status > [noun] > assistant assistant?1541 adjacent1600 help1645 helper1686 aide1762 asst1782 tenter1894 offsider1904 runabout1957 ancillary1962 gofer1967 society > authority > subjection > service > servant > types of servant > [noun] > hireling hiremanc975 hirelingc1000 leȝhemannc1175 allowes1348 merchantc1384 mercenaryc1387 hiring manc1425 pensioner1472 wageling?1545 pensionary1548 hired woman1639 help1645 engagee1808 1645 Mass. Col. Rec. II. 139 Such of his servants and helps as have been employed about y^e attendance of y^e court. 1742 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman Aug. i. 2 Next to them [sc. hired servants] we should be provided with auxiliary Helps. 1807 C. W. Janson Stranger in Amer. 87 I am Mr ——'s help. I'd have you know..that I am no sarvant. 1815 Massachusetts Spy 23 Aug. Our lady and gentleman ‘hired helps’ do not understand who is meant when their master is inquired for. 1818 H. B. Fearon Sketches Amer. 80 Servants, let me here observe, are called ‘helps’. If you call a servant by that name they leave you without notice. 1824 Examiner 200/2 The hiring of ‘a help’, anglicè a servant,—a word rejected in America. 1830 J. Galt Lawrie Todd III. vii. v. 49 At this moment..the help, or maiden-servant, came. 1838 J. F. Cooper Amer. Democrat 122 Those who aid their masters in the toil may be deemed ‘helps’, but they who perform all the labor do not assist..but they do it themselves. 1861 W. M. Thackeray Four Georges i. 26 Fourteen postilions; nineteen ostlers; thirteen helps. 1883 New Eng. Jrnl. Educ. 17 54 The Boston ‘help’ reads Dante while she prepares the succulent pork and beans. a1899 Mod. Advertisements. Wanted, Lady Help. Wanted, Two superior domestic helps to undertake the duties of cook and housemaid. Wanted, young girl, as useful help. Mother's Help wanted immediately, to assist with two children and housework. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 4 Aug. 2/3 Judge: What is a ‘help’? Plaintiff: Well, she's a cook-housemaid-barmaid. 1949 ‘J. Tey’ Brat Farrar xi. 84 Lana, their ‘help’..‘obliged’ only because her ‘boy friend’ worked in the stables. 1971 Woman 13 Feb. 13/2 I gave Mrs. Candy, the daily help, a suit for her daughter. d. The labour of hired persons; collective the body of servants belonging to a farm or household. Originally U.S. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > work > [noun] > work of hired persons help1817 society > authority > subjection > service > servant > [noun] > servants collectively > of a family or household hirdc888 peoplec1330 family1388 folk1577 serviturea1674 familia1729 servantry1784 help1850 1817 J. Bradbury Trav. Amer. 318 Ask one of them the reason, he replies, ‘I want help’. 1850 C. Lyell 2nd Visit U.S. (ed. 2) II. 303 The lady's sister..was obliged to milk the cow..such was the scarcity of ‘help’. 1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. III. xciv. 316 How simply the rooms are furnished, and how little ‘help’ (i.e. how few servants) is kept. 1896 W. D. Howells Impressions & Experiences 204 We were seven hundred and fifty at table, and the help who served us were three hundred and fifty. 1959 S. Gibbons Pink Front Door xviii. 221 The months when she had been without help had established Molly's unexpected visits as a habit. 1962 P. Mortimer Pumpkin Eater xi. 106 ‘We got help. I don't know why it's called help.’ ‘You mean servants?’ ‘We don't call them servants.’ †4. Avail, boot, good, use. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ 1562 Bp. J. Pilkington Wks. (Parker Soc.) 30 There is no help to be disobedient and strive against him, for he will have the victory. 5. †a. Relief, cure, remedy. Obsolete except as in 5b. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > healing > [noun] > a cure or remedy leechcraftc888 leechdoma900 bootOE helpc1000 pigment?a1200 remedya1382 medicinea1393 application?a1425 sanativec1440 healer?1523 recovery1576 curative1577 mithridate1587 cure1623 presidy1657 therapeutic1842 therapeutical1845 the world > action or operation > amending > [noun] > remedy helpc1000 healinga1225 remedy?c1225 bote of beam1330 recurec1330 recoverera1375 remeida1413 redemption?a1439 botmenta1450 recurementc1450 presidy?a1475 mendsa1525 repair1612 relief1616 booty beam1642 beyond retrieve1658 beyond retrieval1697 c1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 262 Gif þas fultumas ne syn helpe, læt blod þonne. c1480 (a1400) St. Peter 44 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 8 Sindry oþir, at war leile, throw his schadow gat helpe and heile. 1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) i. 3 Not Aesculapius himself..can..give you the least helpe..so long as [etc.]. a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) iii. ii. 221 What's gone, and what's past helpe Should be past greefe. View more context for this quotation 1674 A. Cremer tr. J. Scheffer Hist. Lapland 8 Thir only help against these [winds] is to convey themselves into dens and caves. b. Means of obviating or avoiding something; in there is no help for it = it cannot be helped (see help v. 11). ΘΚΠ the mind > will > necessity > necessity [phrase] none other boota1225 needs must that needs shallc1330 no remedy buta1470 needs must when the Devil drivesc1500 what remedy?1511 there is no help for it1581 (there is) nothing for it but1845 1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) i. 26 There is no helpe in it, but you must settle your selfe to like of such men with their imperfections. 1669 W. Holder Elem. Speech 152 There is no help for it, but he must be taught accordingly to comply with that faulty way of writing. 1863 J. W. Carlyle Lett. III. 162 It is their way and there is no help for it. 1887 W. P. Frith Autobiogr. II. v. 112 I was really sorry to dispel my old friend's illusion; but there was no help for it. 6. A portion of food served; a ‘helping’. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > amounts of food > [noun] > portion of food > portion served sanda700 messc1300 servicec1330 help1809 round1839 serving1864 serve1868 helping1883 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas IV. x. iii. 48 Between every succeeding help, my servants..filled our large glasses..with wine. 1872 A. I. Thackeray Old Kensington in Cornhill Mag. July 5 He asked her for a second help of cold pie at luncheon. Compounds C1. General attributive. help-girl n. ΚΠ 1863 E. C. Gaskell Cousin Phillis i, in Cornhill Mag. Nov. 633 Betty..carried off the great dish to the kitchen, where an old man..and a help-girl, were awaiting their meal. help-giver n. ΚΠ c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme lxxi. 13 in Coll. Wks. (1998) II. 86 O my god, my sole help-giuer. help-tune n. ΚΠ 1855 R. Browning Saul vii Then I played the help-tune of our reapers. help-work n. ΚΠ 1883 Harper's Mag. Jan. 207/1 John Chinaman is in force here, as everywhere, for all help-work. C2. † help-ale n. [see ale n. 2] a rustic festival or merry-making in celebration of the completion of some work (e.g. haymaking) done with the help of neighbours (obsolete). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > social event > festive occasion > specific festivities > [noun] > other festivities hoppingc1330 hocking1406 church ale1448 bid-alec1462 kirk-ale1543 maids' ale1547 quaff-tide1582 help-ale1587 clerk-ale1627 Chinese New Year1704 Rasa-yatra1767 spring festival1788 souling1813 gooding1818 walking day1826 yatra1827 triacontaëterid1839 pwe1842 Thomasing1847 hocking-ale1854 Mary-ale1857 Oktoberfest1859 Marymass1866 club-walking1874 Lag b'Omer1874 full moon festival1876 beerfest1877 Tanabata1880 Moon Festival1892 bierfest1908 sausage fest1908 Zar1931 rara1941 mas'1956 molimo1960 Kwanzaa1970 1587 W. Harrison Hist. Descr. Iland Brit. (new ed.) ii. i. 138/2 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) I The superfluous numbers of idle waks, guilds, fraternities, church-ales, helpe-ales, and soule-ales. 1643 G. Wither Campo-Musæ 42 Yea, baser then our Countrey Help-Ales are. 1675 R. Fane Let. 19 Apr. (MS.) Going to every feast and help ale within five miles round. help-mate n. Chess a type of chess problem in which Black is required to play so that White may give mate in a certain number of moves. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > board game > chess > [noun] > problems jeopardyc1369 problem1817 Indian problem1846 mover1868 Indian1878 retractive problem1890 waiting problem1891 retractor1893 help-mate1897 sui1897 miniature1903 waiter1906 grab theme1909 fairy chess1914 King's (or Queen's) Indian1931 1897 T. R. Rowland & F. Rowland Problem Art 91 Another class of problems..in which both players concur in endeavouring to effect the speediest mate—..which we term Help-mate Problems. 1913 A. C. White Sam Loyd 31 Whether Loyd was the inventor of the Help-mate problem..I do not know. 1966 New Statesman 11 Nov. 718/3 ‘Help-mate’..Black moves first and helps White to mate in a given number of moves. Draft additions 1993 help-line n. [help-line n.] a telephone service which specializes in providing information, advice, and help with problems (of a particular kind). ΘΚΠ society > communication > information > action of informing > [noun] > source of information intelligencera1586 hand1614 source1788 vein1838 reference work1839 reference source1888 the horse's mouth1928 help-line1980 society > communication > telecommunication > telegraphy or telephony > telephony > [noun] > telephone services answering service1904 information1910 speaking clock1934 talking clock1936 TIM1936 telebus1942 wake-up service1946 subscriber trunk dialling1952 freephone1959 telephone hotline1961 WATS1962 call waiting1963 night line1970 phone-in1970 telephone helpline1970 help-line1980 line1983 Cellnet1984 chat line1984 Vodafone1984 telepoint1987 callback1992 the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > advice > [noun] > adviser or counsellor > services or organizations providing > help-line help-line1980 1980 N.Y. Times 19 Oct. (Westchester Weekly section) 16/4 Agencies to Coordinate Homebound Services..hired a social worker, set up a homebound helpline..and created public awareness and advocacy campaigns on behalf of shut-ins. 1984 Listener 11 Oct. 21/3 Finnish TV..carries public service advertisements advising endangered children to ring a special help-line. 1988 Woman 20 Feb. 13/2 Although Jenni seems to have the only official help-line in the country for battered husbands, there are other places where men can go for help. Draft additions December 2004 help desk n. a service providing advice and assistance in a particular field (chiefly information technology), either for any interested party, or for employees within a particular company; the area or desk where such a service is based. ΚΠ 1980 Times 8 May 32/6 (advt.) Information Scientist required for Customer Service/Help Desk Function to answer queries from European users. 1989 Precision Marketing 29 May 6/5 The helpdesk is designed to centralise the handling of certain pension enquiries from agencies and intermediaries as well as the public. 1995 Multimedia Today Apr. 25/1 Imagine how productive help desk staff would be if they could remotely logon to and take control of users' systems. 2001 D. Mitchell Number 9 Dream 376 Two identical receptionists at the helpdesk chime ‘Good morning’ in such angelic harmony that I am unsure which to speak to. Draft additions June 2016 a cry (also call) for help and variants. a. An urgent call for assistance. ΚΠ 1579 E. Bicknoll Swoord agaynst Swearyng 42 The hoast pleadeth an action of burglarie, and maketh open cry for helpe vnto his neyghbours. 1612 S. Lennard tr. P. de Mornay Mysterie Iniquitie 645 These of thee with lowd cries for helpe doe pray, Helpe holie Father Leo. 1787 Contrast i. 39 Away she ran that instant, with shrill cries for help. 1829 Relig. Mag. Jan. 91/1 His calls for help were piercing and continual. 1910 W. McCay Little Nemo in Slumberland 30 Jan. in Little Nemo 1905–1914 (2000) 233/1 Wheo!..I hear a call for help! 1990 St. Louis (Missouri) Post-Dispatch (Nexis) 7 Feb. 1 a Neighbors and relatives listened helplessly to screams for help as a young couple and four children perished early Tuesday in a fire at their trailer home. 2011 Kamloops (Brit. Columbia) Daily News (Nexis) 27 Sept. a5 She heard a blood-stopping cry for help. b. figurative and in figurative contexts. An indication of distress or of a need for help; esp. behaviour which expresses a person's overt or subconscious desire for attention or support (sometimes specifically with reference to threatened or attempted suicide). ΚΠ 1836 H. Read Christian Brahmun I. ii. iv. 226 Their cry for help is heard in the sad tale of their miseries. 1894 Interior 30 Aug. 1111/1 The desperate condition of the heathen is, itself, a call for help, though the needy may be unconscious of their misery, and indifferent to it. 1933 W. B. Wolfe Nerv. Breakdown (1934) i. 2 In a nervous breakdown the whole personality declares a moratorium of normal activities, and both body and soul join in a cry for help. 1994 Sunday Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 25 Dec. 7 [The work is] a search for harmony or a scream for help, or a desire to abstract yourself through the painting, through the concerto, through the play. 1995 Independent 22 May 19/2 Malone makes a clear distinction between attempted suicides (impulsive cries for help) and suicide attempts (planned, genuine attempts to die). 2014 Washington Jewish Week 14 Aug. 15 Threats of suicide are often a cry for help. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online June 2022). helpv. Brit. /hɛlp/, U.S. /hɛlp/ Inflections: Past tense helped /hɛlpt/, (archaic) holp /həʊlp/; past participle helped, (archaic) holpen /ˈhəʊlpən//-p(ə)n/; Forms: 1. Present stem Old English helpan, Middle English helpen, Middle English–1600s helpe, Middle English– help; also Middle English elp, Middle English halp-, Middle English healp-, Middle English heolp-, 1500s healp, 1500s healpe. 2. Past tense. a. Strong. (i). 1st and 3rd singular. α. Old English healp, Middle English hêlp, Middle English huelp. c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care v. 45 He..his healp.c1175 Lamb. Hom. 79 A preost..him nawiht ne help.a1300 Floriz & Bl. 761 Ho him rodde and help.c1410 Chron. Eng. 558 in J. Ritson Anc. Eng. Metrical Romanceës (1802) II He huelp hire brother. β. Middle English halp. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1342 Hemm itt hallp.c1305 Judas 108 in Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) 110 He halp menie man.1470–85 T. Malory Morte d'Arthur ii. xiii Her blood halpe not the lady.1480 W. Caxton Chron. Eng. xiii. 15 His yongest doughter halp hym. γ. 1500s–1600s holpe, 1500s– holp, 1500s– holpen (now U.S. regional). 1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. ccxx. 283 The kyng of Cypre holpe them.1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates Warwick xvii I lyke wyse hym refused: And holpe vp Henry.c1571 E. Campion Two Bks. Hist. Ireland (1963) i. xv. 56 Who..holpe the Saxons.1859 Ld. Tennyson Guinevere in Idylls of King 227 Lancelot holp To raise the Prince.1890 Dial. Notes 1 68 Holp.., for helped. ‘He holp me out of the scrape.’1927 Amer. Speech 2 357/2 He holpen me over the creek.1931 Amer. Speech 6 230 Such old forms of English as..‘holp’ for ‘help’, and ‘effen’ for ‘if’ may be heard in the ordinary speech of the natives [of Oregon].] 1940 W. Faulkner Hamlet i. ii. 47 ‘Help him up.’ So the nigger holp Ab onto the horse.1962 E. B. Atwood Regional Vocab. Texas vi. 118 Items of nonstandard ‘grammer’ are usually considerably more frequent..in the less-educated group: for example clum (climbed), throwed, holp(ed). (ii). 2nd singular Old English–Middle English hulpe, Old English–Middle English hulpe (subjunctive), Middle English holpe. c1000 Ags. Ps. (1835) lxx[i]. 20 Ðonne ðu..hulpe min.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 12033 But iff þatt godd himm hullpe þær.c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 4454 Þu me hulpe [c1300 Otho holpe]. (iii). Plural. α. Old English hulpon. OE Crist III 1353 Ge hyra hulpon ond him hleoð gefon, hingrendum hlaf ond hrægyl nacedum.c1000 Shrine 162/16 (Bosw.) Ða steortas hulpan ealle ðæs hæfdes. β. Middle English holpen. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3382 Hise benes hem holpen wel.1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. vi. 108 To erie þis halue acre holpyn hym manye.1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) 1 Esdras x. 15 Mosollam, and Sebethai, Leuitus, holpen hem. γ. Middle English hylpe, Middle English–1600s holpe, 1500s–1600s holp. c1320 tr. J. Bonaventura Medit. 922 Anone runne to alle..and hylpe.1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. vii. x. 255 Then his feeres and companions holpe to arme the younge Gentleman.1605 London Prodigall i. i These hands of mine holp to wind him. δ. Middle English halp. c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) l. 2217 No his tvifold armes halp him nouȝt. ε. Middle English heelp. 1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 130/1 All men..heelp them. b. Weak Middle English helpet, Middle English helpid, Middle English helpit, Middle English helpyd, Middle English helpyt, Middle English– helped, 1500s–1800s helpt. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 20184 Freindes þat me..helped. 3. Past participle. a. Strong. α. Old English– holpen, Middle English holpyn, Middle English holpyne. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6201 Eȝȝþerr birrþ þurrh oþerr beon hollpenn.c1340 R. Rolle Prose Treat. (1866) 28 Nede for to be lukede to and holpyne by þe.c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Ariadne. 1984 He shal ben holpyn.1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke i. f. lxxiij^v He..hath holpen his servaunt Israhel.1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads i. 378 If you have holpen Jove with word or deed.1856 E. B. Browning Aurora Leigh i. 24 I who was Entreated thus and holpen.1881 ‘M. Twain’ Prince & Pauper xix. 221 Of a truth I was right—he hath holpen in a kitchen. β. Middle English hulpe, Middle English–1600s holpe, 1500s–1600s holp. 1382 J. Wyclif Psalms lxxxv[i]. 17 Thou Lord hast holpe me.1581 B. Rich Farewell Mil. Profession (1846) 14 We have..holpe them at many a pinche.1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 152 The hound must be holpe..with the voyce..of the hunter.1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 27 By drinking asses milke they be holpe. b. Weak. α. Middle English helpet, Middle English helpid, Middle English helpit, Middle English helpyd, Middle English helpyt, Middle English– helped, 1500s–1800s helpt. a1300 E.E. Psalter xxvii[i]. 7 In him hoped mi hert, and helped [v.r. hulpen] am I.1676 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Iliads i. 553 I would have helpt you once. β. 1500s–1600s holpt. 1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil First Foure Bookes Æneis ii. 29 Downe Menelaus is holpt. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Common Germanic strong verb: Old English helpan, healp (hulpon), holpen = Old Frisian helpa, Old Saxon helpan (Dutch, Low German helpen), Old High German helfan (German helfen), Old Norse hjálpa (Swedish hjelpa, Danish hjelpe), Gothic hilpan, halp (hulpum), hulpans: Old Germanic ablaut series help-, halp-, hulp- (holp-). The expected pre-Germanic form is kelb-: a root kelp-* in same sense appears in Lithuanian szèlpti to help. Of the strong inflections, the normal Middle English past tense singular was halp; the plural was holpen (with o of past participle), later holp(e, which c1500 was extended also to the singular, and continued in frequent use till 17th cent.; it is now a rare archaism except in U.S. dialect use. The past participle holpen, kept alive by biblical and liturgical use, is still employed by poets and archaists (and occurs also in U.S. dialect); from 14th to 17th centuries it occurs shortened to holp(e. The weak inflection helped is found from c1300, and has gradually become the usual form. For other points see the Forms below. Signification. 1. transitive. To furnish (a person, etc.) with what is serviceable to his efforts or his needs; to aid, assist. a. To add one's own action or effort to that of (another) so as to make it more effectual; to further the action or purpose of. (See also sense 5b).In Old English construed with genitive or dative (as if = to be a helper of, helpful to), of which the former became obsolete and the latter ceased to be distinguishable from the accusative. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] helpc897 filsteOE filsenc1175 gengc1175 succourc1250 ease1330 to do succourc1374 favour1393 underset1398 supply1428 aid1450 behelp1481 adminiculate?1532 subleve1542 to help a (lame) dog over a stile1546 adjuvate1553 to stand at ——1563 assista1578 opitulate1582 stead1582 bestead1591 help out (also through)1600 serve1629 facilitate1640 auxiliate1656 juvate1708 gammon1753 lame duck1963 piggyback1968 c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care v. 44 He nyle..helpan ðæs folces mid ðæm þe he [God] his healp. a1000 Hymns (Gr.) vii. 44 Ðu monegum helpst. c1000 Ags. Ps. (1835) lxx. 20 [lxxi. 21] Ðonne..ðu hulpe min. a1035 Laws Cnut (Schmid) ii. c. 68 [69] Helpan aa þam raðost, þe helpes betst behofað. a1067 Charter Eadweard in Cod. Dipl. IV. 206 Gode geuðe mine saule to helpene. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 4620 And þe eorl Aruiragus mid æðele help [c1300 Otho halp] his broðer. 1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Rev. xii. 16 The erthe helpide the womman. 1480 W. Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxxviii. 263 He worshyped halp and mayntened holy chirche and hir mynystres. 1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope iii. vi Fortune helpeth bothe the good and euylle folke. 1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Eng. 6/1 in Chron. I They fayne..that Jupiter holpe his sonne Hercules, by throwyng downe stones from heauen in this battayle. 1700 Gregory in C. R. L. Fletcher Collectanea (1885) I. 322 Machines for the helping and enlarging the sight (as telescopes). 1865 J. Ruskin Sesame & Lilies i. 69 A nation in its youth may be helped by laws, as a weak child by backboards. b. To supply or relieve the wants or necessities of; to succour. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > types of help > [verb (transitive)] > aid in want helpc950 relievea1387 beeta1400 to tide over1865 c950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xx. 30 Milsa us vel help usig sunu dauides. c1000 Ælfric Homilies II. 442 We sceolon earmra manna helpan. c1175 Lamb. Hom. 79 Þer com a prost bi þe weie and him nawiht ne help. c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 9 Help þe hauelease. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 14172 Heo him heolpen at heȝere neoden. 1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 3567 Þe saules, þat til purgatory wendes, May be helped thurgh help of frendes. 1578 T. Tymme tr. J. Calvin Comm. Genesis 276 Who would haue suffered him rather to perish with hunger an hundred times than that they would haue holpen him in his need. a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. ii. 113 Helpe me Cassius, or I sinke. View more context for this quotation 1733 A. Pope 1st Satire 2nd Bk. Horace Imitated ii. i. 17 To help who want, to forward who excel. c. In subjunctive present, in invocations and oaths: esp. in so help me God, the customary formula in a solemn oath; and in God help him (also them, etc.), often a parenthetical exclamation of pity for the helpless condition of the person spoken of. Also elliptically so help me, and as a variant so help me bob. Cf. swelp adv. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > compassion > expression of pity [phrase] God help him (also them, etc.)c1175 the heart bleedsc1374 the mind > language > statement > assertion or affirmation > [phrase] > formula used in taking an oath so help me Godc1175 so God me speedc1330 so maideuxc1450 so help me bob1821 so help me1869 swelp1894 c1175 Lamb. Hom. 33 Ah swa me helpe drihten, þe ilke mon þe wule fulien alle his sunne lustes..ne kimeð he nefre inne heoueneriche. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2528 He ðat ðise lettres wrot, God him helpe, weli mot, And berge is sowle fro sorge & grot Of helle pine. c1369 G. Chaucer Bk. Duchesse 550 I wolde as wys god helpe me soo Amende hyt yif I kan or may. ?1507 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen (Rouen) in Poems (1998) I. 45 I hait him with my hert, sa help me our Lord. a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) iv. ii. 60 Now God helpe thee, poore Monkie. View more context for this quotation 1617 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. 190 I N N. sweare..that I will..and give my Voice..as God helpe me, [etc.]. 1821 P. Egan Life in London ii. iii. 229 She tripped me up, my Lord, so help me bob, it is true. 1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess iii. 50 I never knew my father, but she says (God help her) she was wedded to a fool. 1868 Act 31 & 32 Victoria c. 72 §2 I..do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God. 1869 A. Trollope Vicar of Bullhampton (1870) iii. 20 Just go home to father's, sir; not a foot else, s' help me. 1936 L. C. Douglas White Banners iv. 69 That he would never again..so help him..fritter away precious time. 1939 J. Joyce Finnegans Wake 118 So holp me Petault, it is not a miseffectual whyacinthinous riot of blots and blurs. d. absol. or intransitive. To afford aid or assistance; often in imperative as a cry for assistance.See note to sense 1a as to Old English constr. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (intransitive)] help?c1225 to shove at the cart1421 supply1446 assist?1518 to lend a hand (or a helping hand)1598 to hold handc1600 to put to one's hand (also hands)1603 seconda1609 subminister1611 to give (lend) a lift1622 to lay (a) hand1634 to give a hand1682 to bear a hand1710 to chip in1872 the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > help [interjection] help?c1225 Mayday1923 the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > types of help > [verb (transitive)] > aid in trouble or danger help?c1225 uptakea1300 relievec1400 ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 237 Cause is hwi þu hit dudest. oðer hulpe oðer þer to. c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 44 Help knyghtes, if ȝe may, I may no ferrer go. c1420 Chron. Vilod. 447 Dan Benna halp ryȝt well þerto. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) ii. 416 Schyr Philip..gan cry, ‘Help help I have ye new-maid king!’ 1584 T. Cogan Hauen of Health cxciv. 153 Yet the goodnes of the pasture helpeth much to the goodnes of y^e milke. 1591 Troublesome Raigne Iohn i. sig. B3 Help hands, I haue no lands, honour is my desire. 1611 Bible (King James) 2 Sam. xiv. 4 Shee fell on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and said, Helpe, O king. View more context for this quotation 1811 Ld. Byron Hints from Horace 817 Help, Christians, as ye hope for grace! †2. a. transitive. To benefit, do good to; to be of use or service to, to profit. Obsolete (except as implied in sense 1.) ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial to [verb (transitive)] helpc1000 goodOE steadc1175 to do (one) boot?c1225 advancec1330 profitc1330 availc1384 servea1398 vaila1400 vailc1400 prevail1442 advantage?1459 vantagec1460 bootc1540 benefit1549 conduce?1577 to serve (one) in some, no stead1601 bonify1603 answer1756 better1833 to stand to ——1841 to stand (a person or thing) in (good, etc.) stead1887 c1000 Inst. Polity in B. Thorpe Anc. Laws Eng. (1840) II. 332 Þonne helpe ge wel þam þe ge lærað, gif hi eowrum larum fyligean willað. a1200 Moral Ode 297 Ne mai heom noþer helpen þer i-bede ne almesse. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 1439 Ne muȝt ham help na hali-hede, attyn to hel þai most nede. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) iii. l. 237 Bot los our men, it helpis ws rycht nocht. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Macc. ii. 13 What helpeth it vs then to lyue? 1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) i. 2 b To consider the things that helpe him, and the things that hurt him. 1582 in Bible (Rheims) Matt. xxv. 9 (margin) We shal not be holpen by other mens deserts at the day of iudgement. 1648 T. Gage Eng.-Amer. vi. 17 Iron, Knives, or such things which may help them in their Wars. †b. absol. or intransitive. To be of use or service; to avail. Often quasi-impersonal. Obsolete (except as implied in sense 1d.) ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial [verb (intransitive)] dowc950 frameOE fremeOE helpc1000 gainc1175 holdc1175 vail1303 yainc1325 it is speedfulc1340 profit1340 speedc1380 prowa1400 bootc1400 prevailc1450 avail1489 mister1490 skill1528 stead1594 advantagea1616 conduce1624 c1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 134 Wiþ fefre eft hylpð syndrigo marubie to drincanne. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8075 Heo rohten. þat heo inoh hafden þeh hit lutel hulpe [c1300 Otho holpe]. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 20271 Lat be weping, it helps noght. c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 1956 What helpeth it to tarien forth the day. 1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Hist. Jason (1913) 102 Appollo..dyde all that he coude, but yt halpe not ner profited no thing. 1553 T. Wilson Arte Rhetorique (1580) 192 A similitude, whiche beyng dilated helpeth well for amplification. 1755 J. Wesley Primitive Physick (ed. 5) 96 Mustard, and Juice of Scurvy-grass help in a cold Scurvy. 1757 E. Burke Philos. Enq. Sublime & Beautiful ii. §4. 46 In reality a great clearness helps but little towards affecting the passions.] 3. reflexive. a. To put forth needed effort in one's own behalf; to do of oneself what is needed; to extricate oneself from a difficulty. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > help someone [verb (reflexive)] > help oneself helpa1225 a1225 Leg. Kath. 2103 Ha ne mahen nowðer Helpen ham seoluen, Ne heom þat ham seruið. c1275 Laȝamon Brut 30390 For niþing worþe þe mon þat nele him seolue heolpe. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 16255 If þou wil noght help þi-self, men haldes þe for quede. 1551 T. Wilson Rule of Reason sig. Sj^v God will helpe them..if they helpe them selfes. 1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 iii. ii. 229 She is old and cannot helpe her selfe. View more context for this quotation 1860 R. W. Emerson Fate in Conduct of Life (London ed.) 15 He helps himself on each emergency by copying or duplicating his own structure, just so far as the need is. 1873 F. W. Robinson Little Kate Kirby I. iv. 45 I don't think that I shall require your assistance, or that I shall be unable to help myself. 1881 S. R. Gardiner & J. B. Mullinger Introd. Study Eng. Hist. viii. §3. 153 He [Cromwell] had no pleasure in ruling by force. But he could not help himself. †b. with of or with: To make use of, avail oneself of. (= French se servir de). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > use or make use of [verb (transitive)] noteOE take?a1160 turnc1175 usec1300 to fare witha1340 benote1340 spenda1400 usea1400 weara1400 naitc1400 occupy1423 to put (also set) in work?a1425 practise?c1430 apply1439 employ?1473 to call upon ——1477 help1489 tew1489 handle1509 exercise1526 improvea1529 serve1538 feed1540 enure1549 to make (also take) (a) use of1579 wield1601 adoperate1612 to avail oneself ofa1616 to avail oneself ofa1616 prevail1617 to make practice of1623 ploy1675 occasion1698 to call on ——1721 subserve1811 nuse1851 utilize1860 1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes ii. xx. 133 We have holpen us of the saynges of the boke of Vegece. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) xxiv. 528 I byleve that this devyll helpeth himself wyth som devilry. 1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. (1586) ii. 50 b I judge them mervailous unfortunate that cannot helpe themselves with those qualities they are indued withall, at such time. a1665 K. Digby Jrnl. Voy. to Mediterranean (1868) 64 Through..a dishonest desire to helpe himselfe of my being there. c. with to: see senses 7, 8. 4. transitive. To make (an action, process, condition, etc.) more effectual; to assist in bringing about; to further, promote. See help forward, help on in sense 6. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > continuing > progress, advance, or further continuance > furtherance > further [verb (transitive)] furtherc888 to bring onc1230 advancea1250 speeda1300 nourishc1300 avaunt1393 promotec1433 pasture?a1439 advantage?1459 promove1475 preferc1503 conduce1518 to set forth1528 to set forward(s)1530 to take forth1530 fillip1551 help1559 farther1570 foster1571 shoulder1577 to put forward1579 seconda1586 foment1596 hearten1598 to put on1604 fomentate1613 succeed1613 expeditea1618 producea1618 maturate1623 cultivate1641 encourage1677 push1693 forward1780 progress1780 admove1839 1559 W. Baldwin et al. Myrroure for Magistrates Henry VI. xiv The other sinne, through humours holpe, which god doth highly hate. a1626 F. Bacon Sylva Sylvarum (1627) §364 If you make the Earth narrower at the bottome than at the Top..it will helpe the Experiment. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vi. 656 Thir armor help'd thir harm. View more context for this quotation 1700 S. L. tr. C. Schweitzer Relation Voy. in tr. C. Frick & C. Schweitzer Relation Two Voy. E.-Indies 355 We were forced to Eat Bacon..Raw, and afterwards help the Digestion of it with Indian Brandy. 1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People ii. §6. 90 The troubles of the time helped here as elsewhere the progress of the town. 5. With infinitive or clause: a. With infinitive alone. (This may either arise through ellipsis of the object in sense 5b, or may be a use of sense 4 with infinitive object.)In this and sense 5b the infinitive has normally to, which however from 16th cent. is often omitted: this is now a common colloquial form. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (intransitive)] > in bringing about helpc1175 to give (or strike) a good stroke1531 c1175 Lamb. Hom. 37 To seke gan, and þa deden helpen to buriene. c1320 tr. J. Bonaventura Medit. 922 And hylpe þat precyus body to bere. a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 135 Theodorus..halp to putte Wilfridus out of his bisshopricke. c1410 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (Gibbs MS.) l. 104 I halp to burye hym. 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke 6 b To helpe garnishe his mother tongue. 1598 R. Barckley Disc. Felicitie of Man iii. 212 He proued so good a scholer, that it holpe to worke the destruction of his owne soule, and many others. 1616 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliad xiii, in Whole Wks. Homer 182 Many helpfull men, That..would then Helpe beare his mightie seuen-fold shield. 1625 C. Burges New Discouery Personal Tithes 18 Yet is hee still..bound to help maintaine his Minister, if he be in want. 1735 A. Pope Epist. to Arbuthnot (new ed.) 248 He help'd to bury whom he help'd to starve. 1853 T. T. Lynch Lect. Self-improvem. iii. 58 All the leaves that helped nourish it. 1862 J. Tyndall Mountaineering in 1861 vi. 55 Such thoughts had a dynamic value, and helped to lift me over the rocks. 1941 Punch 2 July 13/3 Sir Kingsley Wood..asked the House for another £1,000,000,000, to help pay for the next three months of war. b. With object and infinitive. To aid or assist (a person to do something). (See sense 1.) ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > (a person) to do something helpc1175 steadc1175 piggyback1968 c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1342 Forr hemm itt hallp biforenn godd To clennsenn hemm off sinne. a1300 Cursor Mundi 28363 Or help oþer men to sing. 1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. vii. 99 To heren þis half-Acre helpen him ful monye. c1430 J. Lydgate Compl. Black Knight xxvi But who shal helpe me now for to compleyne. ?1535 M. Coverdale Goostly Psalmes f. xlii^v I wyll helpe synners turne to the. 1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 400 The Envoy help'd him to put it on. 1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World viii. 214 Every Ships company made [canoas] for themselves, but we all helped each other to launch them. 1852 M. Arnold Empedocles on Etna, & Other Poems i. i I would fain stay and help thee tend him. 1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xi. 49 The hereditary enemies of his house had helped him to mount a throne. 1936 Punch 1 Apr. 375/1 I suppose you two fellows wouldn't help me get the stuff into the coal-cellar, would you? 1940 Punch 5 June 620/3 The collection of waste~paper that's going to help us win the war. 1971 D. E. Westlake I gave at Office (1972) 121 None of the locals..had any desire to help us off-load the plane. †c. With object clause: To procure or assist in procuring (that something should be done). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > carrying out > execute, perform, or carry out [verb (transitive)] > achieve or effect helpc1410 obtain?a1425 procurec1425 practise?a1439 upholdc1450 furnish1477 to bring about1480 to bring to passc1513 conduce1518 contrive1530 to make good1535 moyen1560 effect1581 effectuatea1586 to level out1606 operate1637 to carry offa1640 efficiate1639 work1761 engineer1831 the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > help that something be done helpc1410 c1410 T. Hoccleve Mother of God 136 Helpith me þat I may my lyf amende. c1440 Gesta Romanorum (Harl.) i. 1 I woll wite, if þou cowde helpe þat he were ded by ony Crafte. a1500 Merchant & Son 49 in W. C. Hazlitt Remains Early Pop. Poetry Eng. (1864) I. 136 Be yowre bettur avyse, Helpe y had a gode maystyr to teche me marchandyse. 6. a. Elliptically with adverbs or prepositions: = to help to proceed, go, come, or ‘get’ (away, down, forward, in, off, on, out, up, etc.; to, into, out of, etc.). See also sense 7. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > to proceed firkOE helpc1200 c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 103 Aris, louerd, and elp me up. 1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. iii. 38 Trewe charite That most helpeþ men to heuene. a1425 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Galba) l. 25390 Askinges seuyn þat helpes vs to þe blis of heuyn. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Matt. x. 21 Chyldren shall aryse agaynst their fathers & mothers & shall helpe them to deeth. 1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 89/2 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) II It was holpen forward by Thomas Canon. 1594 W. Shakespeare Titus Andronicus ii. iii. 209 Why dost not comfort me and help me out From this vnhollow, and bloodstained hole. View more context for this quotation 1602 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor iii. iii. 132 Helpe me to conuey me hence. a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) v. v. 268 A Hangman to helpe him to bed. View more context for this quotation 1641 Naunton's Fragmenta Regalia sig. F To helpe on his Catastrope. 1781 W. Cowper Charity 522 Strange! how the frequent interjected dash, Quickens a market, and helps off the trash. 1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems x. 8 Had it helped me to profit or to money. 1886 J. Fothergill Borderland (1887) xxix. 337 I am thankful to be helped forward a bit. 1886 G. T. Stokes Ireland & Celtic Church (1888) 349 You can all do something to help on that work. b. With adverb (or adverbial phrase) followed by with: = to help (a person) to put, take, or get something (on, off, up, down, etc.); esp. in reference to clothing, e.g. to help (a person) on (also off) with his coat = to help him to get it on (or off). ΚΠ c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 901 Þan men haueden holpen him doun With þe birþene of his croun. 1553 T. Wilson Arte Rhetorique (1580) 170 Helpe me of with my bootes and my spurres. 1570 in J. Raine Depositions Courts Durham (1845) 166 He..helpt the said Holmes on with his mess clothes. 1698 H. Wanley in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eminent Literary Men (1843) (Camden) 258 I did all in my power..to help her off with above £400 worth of her books. 1886 F. W. Robinson Courting Mary Smith vi. iv If you will help me on with my coat. a1898 Mod. Help me up the hill with this load. c. help out (also through): to afford assistance in completing something; to eke out, supplement. Also absol. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] helpc897 filsteOE filsenc1175 gengc1175 succourc1250 ease1330 to do succourc1374 favour1393 underset1398 supply1428 aid1450 behelp1481 adminiculate?1532 subleve1542 to help a (lame) dog over a stile1546 adjuvate1553 to stand at ——1563 assista1578 opitulate1582 stead1582 bestead1591 help out (also through)1600 serve1629 facilitate1640 auxiliate1656 juvate1708 gammon1753 lame duck1963 piggyback1968 the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > make complete [verb (transitive)] > complete, fill up, or make up > by supplying what is wanting performa1382 supplyc1480 upmake1485 to make up1488 mend?a1505 to stop, to fill (in or up), to supply a gap?1523 to eke out1596 help out (also through)1600 size1608 echea1616 inch out1620 to eke up1633 supplete1664 lengthen1670 supplement1749 to husband out1762 sort1880 piecenc1900 1600 E. Fairfax tr. T. Tasso Godfrey of Bulloigne ii. iii. 20 Boldest harts good fortune helpeth out. 1619 E. M. Bolton tr. Florus Rom. Hist. i. iii. 15 Horatius..helping out his valour with his wit. 1709 Tatler No. 101. ⁋7 I must desire my Readers to help me out..in the Correction of these my Essays. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 59. ¶6 She..helps out his Verse, and furnishes him with Rhymes. 1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 125 They have given me a Bag of Bread too, and a Salt Fish and some Flesh; so all helps out. 1722 W. Wollaston Relig. of Nature ix. 194 To expect omnipotence should interpose to help out a bad cause. 1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering III. v. 86 I will sit wi' you..and help you out wi' your bottle. 1874 L. B. Walford Mr. Smith (1876) xxx. 261 I looked to you, and you wouldn't say a word to help me out. 1917 Dial. Notes 4 413 Holp v. tr., to help. ‘I axed him to holp me out.’ d. To render assistance in dealing with. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > help in dealing with (something) help1924 1924 A. D. Sedgwick Little French Girl i. v. 38 If he sat there..not helping with the water-cans, the baskets of flowers, the scissors, it was because he loved her and wanted to watch her. 1933 Punch 26 July 104/2 ‘Poetry. I believe people use it in exams to remember rules..and things...’ ‘That wouldn't help with Greek and Latin,’ said Charles. e. to help the police in (also with) their inquiries: to be questioned by the police in connection with a crime, often regarded as having the implication of being the chief suspect; also to help the police, to help with inquiries. ΘΚΠ society > law > law enforcement > investigation of crime > investigate crime [verb (intransitive)] > be interrogated to help the police in (also with) their inquiries1957 1957 Times 3 Sept. 4/3 The police are anxious to trace an itinerant photographer... It is believed that he may be able to help them in their inquiries. 1970 Guardian 10 Nov. 20/4 A man was helping police last night after the body of Susan Young, aged 12..was found. 1971 ‘J. Fraser’ Death in Pheasant's Eye xxvi. 162 What's the deadline for arresting Stanley Robinson? At the moment he's ‘helping with enquiries’. 1972 V. C. Clinton-Baddeley To study Long Silence ii. 72 In newspaper language..the man who is ‘helping the police’ is the chap who's being badgered into a confession. 1973 Sunday Times 14 Oct. 1/1 A 17-year-old girl..was found battered to death... Later, a man was helping police with their inquiries. 7. help (a person) to (also † with): to help him to attain to, to aid in obtaining; hence, to furnish, provide, or present with. help oneself to: to provide oneself with, take for oneself; euphemistic to appropriate (something not one's own), to steal. Also simply to help oneself. Cf. sense 8. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > aid, help, or assist [verb (transitive)] > to attain or obtain help (a person) to (also with)c1380 the mind > possession > supply > provide or supply (something) [verb (transitive)] > provide or supply (a person or thing) with anything feather?c1225 serve?c1225 astore1297 purveya1325 purveyc1325 warnishc1330 supply1384 bego1393 garnish?a1400 stuff14.. instore1432 relievec1480 providec1485 appurvey1487 support?1507 furnishc1515 repair1518 supply1529 speed1531 help (a person) to (also with)1569 sort1598 suffice1600 enduea1616 starta1640 employ1690 find1713 to fix out1725 issue1737 service1969 the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > steal [verb (intransitive)] stealc725 thievec920 bribec1405 pluck?a1425 prowl1546 strike1567 to make away with1691 fake1819 snam1824 snig1862 to help oneself1868 boost1912 score1914 snoop1924 the mind > possession > taking > taking possession > take possession [verb (intransitive)] > appropriate to help oneself1868 c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 78 Goddis lawe helpeþ hem not her-to. 1458 in J. H. Parker Some Acct. Domest. Archit. (1859) III. 43 Gentil Jeffray, That clothed many a pore man to bed and to rige, And hathe holpe to rentis to holde up this waye. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Macc. viii. 13 Whom they wolde helpe to their kyngdomes. 1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 1165 The Emperors dominions, had holpen them with corne. 1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay Nauigations Turkie ii. i. 31 b Desiring him too helpe him with a barrell of fresh water, for that theirs began to stinke. a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) iv. ii. 83 Helpe me to a Candle, and pen, inke, and paper. View more context for this quotation 1674 A. Cremer tr. J. Scheffer Hist. Lapland 142 I have not met with any one that could help me to the exact shape of them. 1709 J. Swift Let. conc. Sacramental Test 11 I will help you to enough of them. 1868 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 138 Not quite as bad as the ants, who walked in and helped themselves. 1883 E. Blackwell Booth iv. 31 They helped themselves freely to the furniture of an uninhabited house. 8. a. To serve (a person) with food at a meal. Const. to. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > serving food > [verb (transitive)] > serve person servec1275 to serve forth1381 rewarda1495 to carve toa1533 to serve in1629 help1688 1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. at Help Shall I help you to a piece of Veal? 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 119. ¶4 He will not help himself at Dinner 'till I am served. 1740 S. Richardson Pamela II. 110 So I carv'd it in a Trice, and helped the Ladies. 1762 O. Goldsmith Citizen of World I. 136 I..begged to be helped from a piece of beef. 1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth vi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 139 He did not help himself to any food. 1881 C. Gibbon Heart's Probl. (1884) xi. 171 Maurice..helped himself to a bumper of sherry. absolute.1888 W. Besant Fifty Years Ago vii. 121 The host sat behind the haunch of mutton, and ‘helped’ with zeal. b. transferred. To serve, distribute (food) at a meal. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > serving food > [verb (intransitive)] servec1275 sewc1440 pour1539 to wait on the cup, the trencher, the table1552 sewerc1553 wait1568 to wait up1654 to serve away1709 help1805 to wait (the) table1827 to sling hash1860 to be mother1934 1805 E. Clark Banks of Douro II. 191 A goose..which [she] carved and helped to every person that chose to have any of it. 1829 F. Marryat Naval Officer I. iv. 99 My father..was in the very midst of helping his soup. 1876 W. Besant & J. Rice Golden Butterfly II. iii. 53 There's a fate in it..it is helped, and must be eaten. 1889 J. K. Jerome Three Men in Boat 221 I want a spoon to help the gravy with. 1919 V. Woolf Night & Day xxxi. 2 She behaves very oddly. She forgets to help the pudding. 1938 M. K. Rawlings Yearling i. 11 Ma Baxter sat at the table waiting for them, helping their plates. c. help-yourself n. used attributively esp. of a restaurant or cafeteria where one serves oneself, or of the meal obtained there; also as n. Also transferred. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > eating > eating place > [adjective] > types of eating-house stand-up1872 quick-lunch1891 sit-down1891 help-yourself1894 quick-and-dirty1908 serve-self1908 drive-through1918 tea-shoppy1931 full-service1934 snack bar1940 fast-casual1995 1894 M. Fry Let. in E. H. Jones Margery Fry (1966) v. 37 Then at 1 is lunch..a help-yourself meal and you get up and come away as soon as you've done without waiting for anyone else. 1923 Mod. Lang. Notes Mar. 188 Every one knows by this time that a cafeteria is a ‘help yourself’ restaurant. 1955 T. H. Pear Eng. Social Differences 183 The ‘help yourself’ cafeteria system. 1959 Good Food Guide 280 There is an à la carte menu and a ‘help-yourself’ lunch for the hasty at 6/6. 1961 Times Lit. Suppl. 13 Oct. 712/5 Up to a point he has invented the help-yourself novel. 1967 ‘A. Gilbert’ Visitor iii. 38 I got a cup of coffee and a sandwich at a help-yourself, and went back to the flat. 9. To succour in some distress or misfortune (cf. sense 1); (hence) to deliver, save, set free, relieve (from, of); spec. to relieve or cure of a disease, or of some evil condition. Obsolete or archaic. ΚΠ ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 87 He ne halp him seolf in in his muchele pine. c1386 G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale 1126 I haue yow holpe on bothe youre eyen blynde. c1386 G. Chaucer Frankl. T. 577 Thanke yow lord and lady myn Venus That me han holpen fro my cares colde. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 5727 He helpid þaim of þair wa. c1420 Pallad. on Husb. vii. 6 This helpith whete From auntys and fro mys. 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 15 To vse such remedies..as haue holpen others of like diseases. 1578 J. Lyly Euphues f. 35^v Doth not Treacle as wel poyson as helpe if it be taken out of time? 1594 H. Plat Jewell House 59 (heading) To helpe beere that beginneth to soure. 1683 W. Salmon Doron Medicum iii. 647 Some have been helpt of blindness by the use thereof. 1842 Ld. Tennyson Mariana in South (rev. ed.) iii, in Poems (new ed.) I. 88 Mother, give me grace To help me of my weary load. 1870 Ld. Tennyson Victim i Help us from famine And plague and strife! 10. a. To relieve or cure (a malady, etc.); to remedy, amend. Obsolete or archaic. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > healing > heal or cure [verb (transitive)] lechnec900 helpc950 beetc975 healc1000 temperc1000 leechc1175 amendc1300 halec1330 soundc1374 sanec1386 warishc1386 defenda1400 rectifya1400 salve1411 lokenc1425 redress?c1425 recure?a1439 guarish1474 cure1526 medify1543 recover1548 resanate1599 sanate1623 sain1832 the world > action or operation > amending > put right [verb (transitive)] helpc950 amendc1230 bootc1330 correctc1374 menda1375 recovera1398 dighta1400 restorea1400 redressa1402 recurec1425 remedyc1425 remeidc1480 emendc1485 richa1500 rightena1500 chastisea1513 rectifya1529 redeem1575 salve1575 remed1590 reclaim1593 renew1608 retrieve1625 recruit1673 raccommode1754 splice1803 doctor1829 remediate1837 right-side1847 sort1948 c950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark ix. 24 Ic gelefo, help un-geleaffulnise minne. 1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) iv. iii. 83 The Tysyk and Etyk and other suche euylles may vneth be holpe by socour of medycynes. c1410 T. Hoccleve Mother of God 33 Helpe my distresse. 1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy i. vi All her ill was holpe and remedyed. 1573 J. Partridge Treasurie Commodious Conceits lxvii. sig. F.vij^v How to make a soueraigne Water... The Vertues of this Water bee these: it comforteth the spirits,..it helpeth the Tooth ache. 1576 G. Baker tr. C. Gesner Newe Jewell of Health iii. f. 130^v This helpeth poysoning, and comforteth al the members. 1594 H. Plat Jewell House 72 (heading) How to helpe smoking Chimnies. 1745 A. Pope Ess. Man (rev. ed.) iii. 59 He only knows, And helps [earlier edd. feels], another creature's wants and woes. 1842 Ld. Tennyson Locksley Hall in Poems (new ed.) II. 102 But the jingling of the guinea helps the hurt that Honour feels. b. To mend, repair. Obsolete or dialect. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > manufacturing processes > mending or repairing > [verb (transitive)] beetc975 menda1200 amenda1250 rightc1275 botcha1382 reparela1382 cure1382 repaira1387 dighta1400 emend1411 to mend up1479 restablishc1500 help1518 trimc1520 redub1522 reparate1548 accommodate1552 reinstaure1609 reconcinnate1623 to do up1647 righta1656 fixa1762 doctor1829 vamp1837 service1916 rejig1976 1518 Churchwardens' Accts. St. Michael Spurriergate, York For helpyng ye sacrynbell at Mary Mawdland alter. 1527 Churchwardens' Accts. St. Michael Spurriergate, York Paid for helpyng of Sir Herry surples. 1847–78 J. O. Halliwell Dict. Archaic & Provinc. Words Help, to mend, or repair. 11. a. To remedy, obviate, prevent, cause to be otherwise. (With can, cannot, or some equivalent.)In earlier use usually in passive ‘it cannot be helped’, later in active with personal subject ‘I cannot help it’ = I cannot do anything to remedy or prevent it. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > hinder completely or prevent [verb (transitive)] > obviate > obviate or cause to be otherwise help1584 1584 T. Cogan Hauen of Health cxciv. 153 But this last inconuenience may be holpen as he teacheth afterward. 1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Cc4 Deficient they are no doubt..but the deficience cannot bee holpen . View more context for this quotation a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) iii. i. 240 Cease to lament for that thou canst not helpe . View more context for this quotation 1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 401 If so bee that ships bee cast away..it cannot bee helped. 1668 S. Pepys Diary 18 June (1976) IX. 244 One thing there is in his accounts that I fear may touch me; but I shall help it, I hope. 1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 43. ⁋3 If other People are not of our Opinion, we can't help that. 1866 A. Trollope Belton Estate I. viii. 193 How can I help it that I am not a man and able to work for my bread? 1890 W. Besant Demoniac v. 60 You do not believe. Well, we cannot help that. 1963 Sunday Express 3 Mar. 2/5 You are aware that the archdeacon swears that he never wears pyjamas?—I can't help that. b. To prevent oneself from, avoid, refrain from, forbear; to do otherwise than. (With can, cannot.) Usually with vbl. n. (rarely infinitive), or it = doing it.For quot. 1894: cf. but conj. 9c(e). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > abstaining or refraining from action > abstain or refrain from (action) [verb (transitive)] > avoid or shun > avoid (doing something) help1697 1697 in W. S. Perry Hist. Coll. Amer. Colonial Church: Virginia (1870) I. 39 I was very unwilling to take a Scotch Schoolmaster if I could have holpen it. 1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 155. ⁋2 I..cannot help hearing the improper Discourses. 1741 Ld. Chesterfield Let. Aug. (1932) (modernized text) II. 471 Ovid..could not help thinking in verse, whether he would or not. 1757 R. Griffith & E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances I. cxxii. 229 I can't help frequently to haunt and revisit these dear Scenes. 1772 H. Walpole Last Jrnls. (1859) I. 38 I thought he should not offend the King if he could help it. 1808 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 13 528 No man can help being a coward or a fool. 1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia II. x. iii. 613 Not one of us could help laughing. 1865 C. Kingsley Hereward II. xvi. 276 He could not help to weep and sigh, but yet himself he would not forget. 1883 Manch. Guard. 22 Oct. 5/6 A few such blunders as these could scarcely have been helped. 1894 H. Caine Manxman i. ix. 43 She could not help but plague the lad. 1928 Manch. Guardian Weekly 5 Oct. 263/4 If clairvoyants are to be attached to police stations they can hardly help but become officials. 1952 G. Sarton Hist. Sci. I. xxi. 526 They were brutally raped by conquistadors..who could not help increase geographic knowledge. c. Idiomatically with negative omitted (can for cannot), after a negative expressed or implied. ΚΠ 1862 Whately in Good Words Aug. 496 In colloquial language it is common to hear persons say, ‘I won't do so-and-so more than I can help’, meaning, more than I can not help. 1864 J. H. Newman Apologia 25 Your name shall occur again as little as I can help, in the course of these pages. 1879 C. H. Spurgeon Serm. XXV. 250 I did not trouble myself more than I could help. 1885 ‘E. Lyall’ In Golden Days III. xv. 316 I do not believe we shall be at the court more than can be helped. Draft additions July 2010 not if I (he, she, etc.) can (also could) help it: used to indicate that the person specified will try to ensure that something (mentioned earlier) does not come to pass; cf. sense 11a, not if I know it at know v. Phrases 15b. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > statement > refusal > [phrase] not if I can help it1682 I'll be far (enough) if1752 I'll be shot (occasionally shortened to shot!) if1761 to have none of it1849 not if you paid me1853 not likely1878 that's your problem1951 1682 A. Behn False Count i. i. 2 Car. How, Are not you to marry his Daughter Isabella? Anto. Not, if I can help it, Sir. 1769 ‘Coriat Junior’ Another Traveller! II. ii. 15 I shall murder it by my description!—not if I can help it—I have too great a veneration for the character to injure it in the smallest degree. 1840 Times 14 May 5 ‘She is to be transported for incendiarism.’ ‘Not if I can help it,’ promptly replied the Lord-Lieutenant. 1921 R. A. Maher Wks. of Satan 307 Left to themselves, they wouldn't spend a night in the woods, not if they could help it. 1991 C. Skye Black Rose viii. 110 Hawkins would never find his man. Not if Tess could help it! 2003 I. Rankin Question of Blood (2004) ii. 40 ‘You ever listen to heavy metal, Siobhan?’ ‘Not if I can help it.’ This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < n.c893v.c897
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