help

Things someone does to make a task easier for another person.

• Thank you for your help.
• She asked for help with the bags.
• Do you need any help?

How to use it: help with something (I need help with my homework.); help from someone (We received help from our neighbours.)

Similar words: assistance, aid, support

Common phrases: ask for help, need help, offer help, give someone help

A person or thing that makes a task easier for you.

• This map is a real help.
• You were a great help yesterday.
• Would a ladder be any help?

How to use it: be a help to someone (Your advice was a great help to me.); be a help with something (The checklist was a help with packing.)

Similar words: aid, asset

Opposites: hindrance

Common phrases: a great help, a real help, be a help

People paid to cook, clean, or do other work in a home, farm, or business.

• The hired help cleaned the house.
• They needed extra help for the harvest.
• She treated the domestic help poorly.

Similar words: staff, employees, servants

Common phrases: the hired help, the domestic help, hire some help

To do something that makes another person’s task easier or solves their problem.

• Please help me carry this box.
• He helped his mother cook dinner.
• Can you help with the washing?

How to use it: help someone (to) do something (She helped me to open the box.); help someone with something (I help my brother with his homework.)

Similar words: assist, aid

Opposites: hinder

Common phrases: help someone, help with something, help someone cook, help with homework

If you cannot stop yourself doing something, you do it without choosing to.

• I cannot help laughing.
• She could not help feeling nervous.
• He couldn’t help but look back.

How to use it: cannot help doing something (I cannot help worrying about her.); cannot help but + verb (We could not help but smile.)

Similar words: avoid, prevent

Common phrases: cannot help laughing, cannot help it, cannot help myself

To give someone food or drink, or to take some for yourself.

• Help yourself to some cake.
• She helped the children to more soup.
• Have you helped yourself to a drink?

How to use it: help someone to something (He helped his guest to another slice of pie.); help yourself to something (Please help yourself to some bread.)

Similar words: serve

Common phrases: help yourself, help someone to something, help yourself to something

A shout asking someone to rescue you or give you urgent assistance.

• Help! I cannot swim!
• She shouted, “Help! I’m trapped!”
• Help! Somebody call an ambulance!

Common phrases: help me, help please, someone help

An online reaction showing that something is so funny you cannot stop laughing.

• Help, this video is so funny!
• Help, I can’t stop laughing at that caption.
• Help, did he really say that?

Similar words: lol

Common phrases: help that’s hilarious, help i’m laughing, help this meme