If you help someone, you make something easier for them. When help has this meaning, it can be followed by an infinitive, with or without to. For example, you can say 'I helped him to move the desk' or 'I helped him move the desk'. There is no difference in meaning.
You can also use help as an intransitive verb, followed by an infinitive with or without to. If someone helps do something or helps to do it, they help other people to do it.
If something helps do something or helps to do it, it makes it easier for that thing to be done.
Be Careful!
Don't use an -ing form after help. Don't say, for example, 'I helped moving the desk' or 'I helped him moving the desk'.
If you cannot help doing something, you are unable to prevent yourself from doing it.
Be Careful!
Don't use a to-infinitive after cannot help. Don't say, for example, 'I couldn't help to tease him a little'.
Imperative |
---|
help |
help |
Noun | 1. | ![]() activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity" self-help - the act of helping or improving yourself without relying on anyone else facilitation - act of assisting or making easier the progress or improvement of something helping hand, hand - physical assistance; "give me a hand with the chores" recourse, refuge, resort - act of turning to for assistance; "have recourse to the courts"; "an appeal to his uncle was his last resort" thanks - with the help of or owing to; "thanks to hard work it was a great success" ministration, succor, succour, relief - assistance in time of difficulty; "the contributions provided some relief for the victims" lift - the act of giving temporary assistance service - an act of help or assistance; "he did them a service" accommodation - the act of providing something (lodging or seat or food) to meet a need boost, encouragement - the act of giving hope or support to someone comfort - assistance, such as that provided to an enemy or to a known criminal; "it gave comfort to the enemy" support - aiding the cause or policy or interests of; "the president no longer has the support of his own party"; "they developed a scheme of mutual support" |
2. | ![]() coadjutor - an assistant to a bishop worker - a person who works at a specific occupation; "he is a good worker" accomplice, confederate - a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan (especially an unethical or illegal plan) bat boy - (baseball) a boy who takes care of bats and other baseball equipment dental assistant - an assistant to a dentist deputy, lieutenant - an assistant with power to act when his superior is absent actor's assistant, dresser - a wardrobe assistant for an actor event planner - someone who plans social events as a profession (usually for government or corporate officials) facilitator - someone who makes progress easier flower girl - a young girl who carries flowers in a (wedding) procession girl Friday - a female assistant who has a range of duties enforcer, hatchet man - one whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior birthing coach, doula, labor coach, monitrice - an assistant (often the father of the soon-to-be-born child) who provides support for a woman in labor by encouraging her to use techniques learned in childbirth-preparation classes underboss - an assistant or second-in-command to a chief (especially in a crime syndicate) fashion model, manakin, mannequin, mannikin, manikin, model - a woman who wears clothes to display fashions; "she was too fat to be a mannequin" poser, model - a person who poses for a photographer or painter or sculptor; "the president didn't have time to be a model so the artist worked from photos" paraprofessional - a trained worker who is not a member of a profession but who assists a professional powder monkey - someone who carries explosives (as from the magazine to the guns on board a warship) prompter, theater prompter - someone who assists a performer by providing the next words of a forgotten speech secretarial assistant, secretary - an assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work for a boss or an organization sidesman - (Church of England) an assistant to the churchwarden; collects offerings of money in the church subordinate, subsidiary, underling, foot soldier - an assistant subject to the authority or control of another whipper-in - huntsman's assistant in managing the hounds | |
3. | ![]() resource - a source of aid or support that may be drawn upon when needed; "the local library is a valuable resource" | |
4. | help - a means of serving; "of no avail"; "there's no help for it" helpfulness - the property of providing useful assistance | |
Verb | 1. | ![]() facilitate, alleviate, ease - make easier; "you could facilitate the process by sharing your knowledge" wait on, attend to, assist, attend, serve - work for or be a servant to; "May I serve you?"; "She attends the old lady in the wheelchair"; "Can you wait on our table, please?"; "Is a salesperson assisting you?"; "The minister served the King for many years" benefact - help as a benefactor; "The father benefacted his daughter in more ways than she was aware of" help out - be of help, as in a particular situation of need; "Can you help out tonight with the dinner guests?" subserve - be helpful or useful avail - be of use to, be useful to; "It will avail them to dispose of their booty" bootstrap - help oneself, often through improvised means |
2. | ![]() cure, bring around, heal - provide a cure for, make healthy again; "The treatment cured the boy's acne"; "The quack pretended to heal patients but never managed to" ameliorate, improve, meliorate, amend, better - to make better; "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes" | |
3. | help - be of use; "This will help to prevent accidents" serve - contribute or conduce to; "The scandal served to increase his popularity" | |
4. | help - abstain from doing; always used with a negative; "I can't help myself--I have to smoke"; "She could not help watching the sad spectacle" | |
5. | help - help to some food; help with food or drink; "I served him three times, and after that he helped himself" | |
6. | help - contribute to the furtherance of; "This money will help the development of literacy in developing countries" | |
7. | help - take or use; "She helped herself to some of the office supplies" | |
8. | help - improve; change for the better; "New slipcovers will help the old living room furniture" ameliorate, improve, meliorate, amend, better - to make better; "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes" |