helpless

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Not able to look after yourself or do things without help.

   A newborn baby is completely helpless.

2. 2
   adj

   Not able to defend yourself or change a situation.

   I felt helpless as I watched the storm destroy the garden.

3. 3
   adj

   Impossible to control or stop.

   They fell into helpless laughter during the meeting.

Common collocations

• helpless victim Adjective + noun

From Middle English helples, from Old English *helplēas (“helpless”) from Proto-Germanic *helpōlausaz, equivalent to help + -less. Compare Dutch hulpeloos (“helpless”), German hilflos (“helpless”), Danish hjælpeløs (“helpless”) and Swedish hjälplös (“helpless”).

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