help

v

1. aid, assist, bestead, accommodate, oblige, abet, befriend; contribute, join in, Inf. pitch in, Inf. chip in, lend a hand, lend oneself to, play or do one's part, boost, give a boost to, give a lift to; (all usu. negative) lift a finger, lift a hand, raise a finger, raise a hand; (all usually followed by with) collaborate, cooperate, conspire, connive, coact, combine, join, unite, synergize, side, go or go along, team up, take part, Inf. hitch horses, join forces; support, back, second, uphold, maintain, sustain, endorse, smile upon, concur, Inf. go to bat for, Inf. stick up for, Inf. stick by, stand by.

2. save, rescue, deliver, retrieve, redeem, extricate, bring off or through, come to the rescue, take in tow, form a lifeline, pull back from the brink, pull out of the fire; free, release, emancipate, liberate, unshackle, unchain, unfetter, manumit, ransom, reprieve, disenthrall, disimprison, set free, let loose, let out, break out, Inf. bust out.

3. facilitate, ease, make easier, expedite, cut through red tape; speed, speed up, accelerate, hasten, quicken, lend wings to; intercede, pave the way, clear the way, open the way, run interference for, block for; disburden, disencumber, rid, disembarrass, deobstruct, lighten the load; subsidize, underwrite, contribute to, give a share to; bolster, elevate, prop up, enhance, tide over, put on one's feet, set up, get going; promote, further, advance, forward, advocate, cultivate, favor; persuade, incline, dispose, bend, turn, coax, ply.

4. meliorate, ameliorate, improve, better, profit, prosper, benefit, avail, advantage; subserve, stand in good stead, be useful or profitable to, Inf. come in handy.

5.(usu. preceded by can or cannot) avoid, abstain, shun, eschew, refrain from, stay away from, turn away from, turn one's back upon, keep from, get away from, escape, break loose; dodge, evade, circumvent, get around, keep clear of; resist, forbear, let alone, let pass, let slip, put off, help oneself, help out; stop, cease, halt, break the habit.

6. diversify, vary, alter, alternate, break up, variegate; change, transform, convert, metamorphose, modulate, make different; moderate, temper, modify.

7. nurse, doctor, minister, nurture, tend, nourish; remedy, restore, mend, curé, make whole, bring through or round; revive, rejuvenate, recondition, rehabilitate, set on one's feet; inspire, inspirit, vivify, revivify, invigorate, reinvigorate; encourage, embolden, enhearten, hearten, buck up, pluck up, bear up, build up, buoy up; meliorate, ameliorate, alleviate, mitigate, palliate, salve; comfort, soothe, solace, console, succor; reassure, assure, calm, allay, put at ease, quiet one's fears.

8. stop, halt, arrest, prevent, deny, repel, repulse, avert, thwart, balk, check, hold in check, keep within bounds, keep back, hold back, hold at bay, turn aside, ward off, fend off, stave off, stand against, hold out against, bear up against, stem or turn or breast the tide; hinder, stall, slow, slow down, deflect, curb; counteract, countervail, counterbalance, counterpoise, contravene, neutralize; correct, rectify, redress, adjust, fix, square, amend, right, set right or straight.

9. take, appropriate, expropriate, arrogate, impress, annex, commandeer, dispossess, usurp, take possession of, lay hold of, take for oneself, possess oneself of, Sl. boost, Sl. walk off or away with; steal, pirate, plagiarize, Euph. borrow, Sl. lift, Sl. pinch; make use of, make free with, take liberties with.

10. so help me ( used as a mild oath) on my honor, on my word, on my word of honor, I swear, I swear to God, Inf. swear to God.

n

11. aid, assistance, use, utility, avail, service, subvention, benefit, facilitation, helping hand, lift, boost; relief, succor, championship, protection, friendship; encouragement, abetment, abetting, collaboration, cooperation; support, patronage, backing, promotion, advocacy, countenance, care, upholding, sustenance, favor, blessing, grace, sponsorship, auspices, good offices, kind regard; fosterage, furtherance, advancement, advance, advantage, welfare; maintenance, ministry, ministration, restoration; boon, good deed, kind deed, good turn; gift, subsidy, contribution, donation; kindness, beneficence, benevolence, benefaction, humanitarianism, altruism, philanthropy, charity, almsgiving.

12. aid, aider, assistant, attendant. See helper(defs.1-3).

13. supporter, advocate, adviser, patron, sympathizer, patronizer, backer, champion, endorser, upholder, sanctioner, approver; follower, partisan, adherent, disciple; agent, promoter, furtherer, advancer, favorer; subsidizer, underwriter, maintainer, sustainer, benefactor, benefactress, benefiter, Inf. fairy godmother, friend in deed; comforter, succorer, good Samaritan, ministering angel, friend in need.

14. employee, hand, man, girl, apprentice, hired helper or hand, hireling, help, helping hand, worker, workman, workhand, workingman, laborer, wage worker, day laborer, (esp. in Mexico) peon, Hist. retainer; personnel, staff, force, work force, crew, Inf. gang, Inf. team.

15. servant, domestic, domestic servant, factotum, maid, maidservant, handmaid or handmaiden, butler, valet, (in the British army) batman; menial, inferior, underling, Sl. stooge; tenant farmer, farm laborer, migrant, migratory worker.

16. remedy, curé, relief, corrective, correction, restorative, preventive, preventer, prevention; way, means, resource, step, shift, resort, measure, working proposition; artifice, device, contrivance, expedient, stopgap, makeshift, subterfuge.