Also spelled Elp, a-helpin, elped, and heppin
Meanings
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1
verb
To do something that makes things easier or better for someone.
Can you help me carry these bags?
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2
noun
The act of helping someone; assistance.
I need some help with my homework.
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3
verb
To make something more likely or possible.
Regular exercise helps to prevent illness.
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4
verb
To take or serve food or drink for yourself.
Please help yourself to some coffee.
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5
noun
Someone or something that is useful.
He was a great help to me when I was moving house.
Thesaurus
Common collocations
Etymology
From Middle English helpen, from Old English helpan (“to help, aid, assist, benefit, relieve, cure”), from Proto-West Germanic *helpan, Proto-Germanic *helpaną (“to help”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelb-, *ḱelp- (“to help”). Cognate with North Frisian halep, heelpe, help (“to help”), Saterland Frisian hälpe (“to help”), West Frisian helpe (“to help”), Cimbrian hölfan (“to help”), Dutch helpen (“to help”), German helfen (“to help”), Low German helpen, hölpen, hülpen (“to help”), Luxembourgish hëllefen (“to help”), Yiddish העלפֿן (helfn, “to help”), Danish hjælpe (“to help”), Faroese, Icelandic…