help

help
{{11}}help (n.) O.E. help (m.), helpe (f.) "assistance, succor;" see HELP (Cf. help) (v.). Most Germanic languages also have the noun form, Cf. O.N. hjalp, Swed. hjälp, O.Fris. helpe, Du. hulp, O.H.G. helfa, Ger. Hilfe. Use of help as euphemism for "servant" is Amer.Eng., 1640s, tied up in notions of class and race.
A domestic servant of American birth, and without negro blood in his or her veins ... is not a servant, but a 'help.' 'Help wanted,' is the common heading of advertisements in the North, when servants are required. [Chas. Mackay, "Life and Liberty in America," 1859].
Though help also meant "assistant, helper, supporter" in Middle English (c.1200).
{{12}}help (v.) O.E. helpan (class III strong verb; past tense healp, pp. holpen) "help, support, succor; benefit, do good to; cure, amend," from P.Gmc. *helpan (Cf. O.N. hjalpa, O.Fris. helpa, M.Du., Du. helpen, O.H.G. helfan, Ger. helfen), from PIE root *kelb- "to help" (Cf. Lith. selpiu "to support, help"). Recorded as a cry of distress from late 14c. Sense of "serve someone with food at table" (1680s) is translated from Fr. servir "to help, stead, avail," and led to HELPING (Cf. helping) "portion of food." Related: Helped (c.1300). The M.E. pp. holpen survives in biblical and U.S. dialectal use.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Help — (h[e^]lp), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Helped} (h[e^]lpt) (Obs. imp. {Holp} (h[=o]lp), p. p. {Holpen} (h[=o]l p n)); p. pr. & vb. n. {Helping}.] [AS. helpan; akin to OS. helpan, D. helpen, G. helfen, OHG. helfan, Icel. hj[=a]lpa, Sw. hjelpa, Dan. hielpe …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Help — is any form of assistance.Help may also refer to:* Help (British TV series), a comedy series * Help (Dutch TV series), a drama series * H.E.L.P. , an American television drama series * Help (video), a documentary video by Ximena Cuevas * Help (… …   Wikipedia

  • help*/*/*/ — [help] verb I 1) [I/T] to give someone support or information so that they can do something more easily Can you help me find my glasses?[/ex] Her brother offered to help her with her homework.[/ex] Her work involves helping people to find… …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • help — verb. Help is one of the oldest words in English, going back to the time of King Alfred (9c). It has two principal meanings in current English: ‘to assist’ (Can I help you?) and ‘to prevent’ (I can t help it). The connection between these two… …   Modern English usage

  • Help ! — Help! (film) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Help. Help! Réalisation Richard Lester Acteurs principaux John Lennon Paul McCartney George Harrison Ringo Starr Leo McKern …   Wikipédia en Français

  • help — [help] vt. [ME helpen < OE helpan, akin to Ger helfen < IE base * k̑elb , *k̑elp , to help > early Lith sělbinos, to aid] 1. to make things easier or better for (a person); aid; assist; specif., a) to give (one in need or trouble)… …   English World dictionary

  • Help.gv.at — „Ihr Amtshelfer im Internet“ ist eine behördenübergreifende Plattform der österreichischen Bundesverwaltung. HELP.gv.at (kurz „HELP“) begann 1997 als Informationsangebot über Behördenwege für die Bürger und hat sich seither zu einer Drehscheibe… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • HELP.gv.at — „Ihr Amtshelfer im Internet“ ist eine behördenübergreifende Plattform der österreichischen Bundesverwaltung. HELP.gv.at (kurz „HELP“) begann 1997 als Informationsangebot über Behördenwege für die Bürger und hat sich seither zu einer Drehscheibe… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Help — (dt. Hilfe) steht für: Help!, Album der Beatles Help (Band), eine Schweizer Jazzband Help! (Lied), Lied der Beatles Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, deutsche Hilfsorganisation Help TV, deutscher Fernsehsender help – Das Konsumentenmagazin des ORF… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Help — Help, n. [AS. help; akin to D. hulp, G. h[ u]lfe, hilfe, Icel. hj[=a]lp, Sw. hjelp, Dan. hielp. See {Help}, v. t.] [1913 Webster] 1. Strength or means furnished toward promoting an object, or deliverance from difficulty or distress; aid; ^; also …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Help! — Studioalbum von The Beatles Veröffentlichung 6. August 1965 Label Parlophone / Capitol / …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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