help
part of speech
verb (help, helps, helped, helping); noun (help — uncountable; a helping, helpings — a serving); exclamation (Help!)
meaning for a pupil
1) To help is to do something for someone so their work is easier. tree →
2) Help is the act of helping, or things that make work easier. tree →
3) «Help!» is shouted when someone is in danger. tree →
4) Can't help means cannot stop yourself, as in I can't help laughing. tree →
5) A helping is one serving of food on a plate. tree →
6) Help yourself means take what you want. tree →
7) (casual) «Help a mate out» or «gimme a hand» means please help me; «no help at all» is said, often sarcastically, of someone useless. tree →
8) (rough) «God help us» or «heaven help him» means things are bad or someone is in trouble; «you're no bloody help» is an angry complaint. tree →
9) (formal) «Assistance», «render assistance» and «aid» are the stiff words for help: «Assistance was rendered by two volunteers.» tree →
10) (euphemism) «The help» is an old way to say servants or cleaners; «needs a bit of help» can softly mean someone is struggling. tree →
11) No help for it means nothing can be done about a situation, so it has to be accepted. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: "A help meet for him" is an old phrase meaning a fitting helper, a partner suited to him. In the Psalms and Job, God is called the "help" and "shield" of His people, and help is also what one person gives to another in need. Interpretation: The rabbis read Eve as an "ezer kenegdo," a helper who is also his equal and opposite, a partner who can challenge him. God is also called the "help" of Israel. The tradition reads the Psalms' words "their help and their shield" as the people's trust that God protects them. In the primary lessons: Often people working together, which joins their amounts or rates; also «helping» as a serving of food. In everyday life and safety: ask a grown-up for help; call for help in an emergency (999 in the UK, 911 in the USA and Canada, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand, 112 or 999 in Ireland); helping at home. In stories: a friend comes to help. In casual talk: «help me out here», «little help?», «can't help it». In the exam voice: «with the assistance of», «aided by». Phrases: «help out», «ask for help», «help yourself», «with the help of», «helping hand», «self-help».
examples
- And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. (Torah EXO.2.17, JPS 1917) tree →
- There is none like unto God, O Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven as thy help, and in His excellency on the skies. (Torah DEU.33.26, JPS 1917) tree →
- And the LORD God said: 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.' (Torah GEN.2.18, JPS 1917) tree →
- With whose help hast thou uttered words? (Writings JOB.26.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- He is their help and their shield! (Writings PSA.115.9, JPS 1917) tree →
- He is their help and their shield. (Writings PSA.115.11, JPS 1917) tree →
- Sam helps his dad pick 30 apples. tree →
- With Ann's help they paint 2 walls an hour. tree →
- She had two helpings of soup. tree →
- How many did they pick together? tree →
- Can you help me carry this box? tree →
- If you are lost, ask a police officer for help. tree →
- Help yourself to some fruit. tree →
- I couldn't help smiling when I saw the puppy. tree →
- help me out mate, 3 bags each and there's 4 of us, how many bags (casual) tree →
- Oh great, you're a big help — you ate half the biscuits! (sarcastic) tree →
- Shut up and help me count them, it's 12 not 10. (rough) tree →
- With the assistance of two volunteers, a quantity of 30 apples was harvested; determine the share of each. (formal exam) tree →
- There was no help for it. tree →
note
Helping often means two people's amounts or work rates are added. Trap: if a helper picks some, check whether the question asks for one person or both. Regular verb: helped (not «holp»). «Help» as a noun is uncountable: «a lot of help», not «helps». «Help to do» and «help do» are both fine. Sarcasm trap: «you're a big help» can mean the opposite — look at what the person did. «Assistance» (formal) = help; «assist» = help. Safety: shouting «Help!» or calling the emergency number is right when someone is hurt or in danger.
In the corpora
- And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
- So the Arameans feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
- And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest; and they following Adonijah helped him.
- To whom will ye flee for help?
- For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose; therefore have I called her arrogancy that sitteth still.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «help» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.