v. 1
To provide assistance to (someone or something).
He helped his grandfather cook breakfast.
v. 2
To assist (a person) in getting something, especially food or drink at table; used with to.
Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge.
n. 1
Action given to provide assistance; aid.
I need some help with my homework.
n. 2
Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.
He was a great help to me when I was moving house.

Related words

Word family: helpful helpless helply helpmate helpmeet helpsome
Phrases: help oneself home help help out call for help cry for help household help

Forms

Help or Aid?

Help expresses greater dependence and deeper need than aid. Help includes aid, but aid may fall short of the meaning of help.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

3 letters: aid¹
4 letters: back¹, lift¹, cure¹, dish¹
5 letters: avoid², serve¹, favor², avail², stead¹, avert²
6 letters: relief², assist², favour², foster², remedy³, uphold², helper², succor²
7 letters: support², service², further², forward², benefit³, prevent², promote², backing², servant², sustain², relieve², subsidy³, bolster², succour
8 letters: minister³
9 letters: advantage³, assistant³, encourage³, supporter³, alleviate⁴, subsidize³, subsidise
10 letters: assistance³, facilitate⁴, ameliorate⁴
11 letters: restorative⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (avoid² = 2 syllables).