[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/help.html) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / help [← H](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/H/) # help «help» in Mova's school dictionary: **to do something for someone so their work is easier** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it. ### part of speech verb (help, helps, helped, helping); noun (help — uncountable; a helping, helpings — a serving); exclamation (Help!) ### meaning for a pupil 1) To help is to do something for someone so their work is easier. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m1) 2) Help is the act of helping, or things that make work easier. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m2) 3) «Help!» is shouted when someone is in danger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m3) 4) Can't help means cannot stop yourself, as in I can't help laughing. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m4) 5) A helping is one serving of food on a plate. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m5) 6) Help yourself means take what you want. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m6) 7) (casual) «Help a mate out» or «gimme a hand» means please help me; «no help at all» is said, often sarcastically, of someone useless. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m7) 8) (rough) «God help us» or «heaven help him» means things are bad or someone is in trouble; «you're no bloody help» is an angry complaint. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m8) 9) (formal) «Assistance», «render assistance» and «aid» are the stiff words for help: «Assistance was rendered by two volunteers.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m9) 10) (euphemism) «The help» is an old way to say servants or cleaners; «needs a bit of help» can softly mean someone is struggling. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m10) 11) No help for it means nothing can be done about a situation, so it has to be accepted. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#m11) ### sense in the lessons Often people working together, which joins their amounts or rates; also «helping» as a serving of food. In everyday life and safety: ask a grown-up for help; call for help in an emergency (999 in the UK, 911 in the USA and Canada, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand, 112 or 999 in Ireland); helping at home. In stories: a friend comes to help. In casual talk: «help me out here», «little help?», «can't help it». In the exam voice: «with the assistance of», «aided by». Phrases: «help out», «ask for help», «help yourself», «with the help of», «helping hand», «self-help». ### examples - Sam helps his dad pick 30 apples. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x1) - With Ann's help they paint 2 walls an hour. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x2) - She had two helpings of soup. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x3) - How many did they pick together? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x4) - Can you help me carry this box? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x5) - If you are lost, ask a police officer for help. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x6) - Help yourself to some fruit. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x7) - I couldn't help smiling when I saw the puppy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x8) - help me out mate, 3 bags each and there's 4 of us, how many bags (casual) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x9) - Oh great, you're a big help — you ate half the biscuits! (sarcastic) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x10) - Shut up and help me count them, it's 12 not 10. (rough) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x11) - With the assistance of two volunteers, a quantity of 30 apples was harvested; determine the share of each. (formal exam) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x12) - There was no help for it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/#x13) ### note Helping often means two people's amounts or work rates are added. Trap: if a helper picks some, check whether the question asks for one person or both. Regular verb: helped (not «holp»). «Help» as a noun is uncountable: «a lot of help», not «helps». «Help to do» and «help do» are both fine. Sarcasm trap: «you're a big help» can mean the opposite — look at what the person did. «Assistance» (formal) = help; «assist» = help. Safety: shouting «Help!» or calling the emergency number is right when someone is hurt or in danger. ### In the corpora - [Knowing this helps you understand why a family's week is planned round a piece of paper on the fridge.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/2-shifts-nights-and-other-ways-of-working/4/) - [While a parent is unemployed the family may claim benefits and cut spending; free fun like parks and libraries helps.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/9/) - [Benefits are paid for by everyone's taxes as a safety net, and many families who work get some help too.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/5-where-money-comes-from/11/) - [Child benefit is a small regular payment from the government to families with children, to help with things like shoes and food.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/5-where-money-comes-from/12/) - [Sorting it is the grown-ups' job, not the child's, and asking for help early is the sensible move.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/8-borrowing-and-debt/10/) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every meaning and example of «help» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/help/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.