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assistance |
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assistance [əˈsɪstəns] Assistance (See also COOPERATION.) candle-holder An abettor; an assistant or attendant. The reference is to the Catholic practice of having someone hold a candle for the reader during a religious service. In everyday language, the expression applies to anyone who helps out in some small way, but who is not a real participant in the action or undertaking. Shakespeare used the term in Romeo and Juliet: I’ll be a candle-holder and look on. (I, iv) give a leg up To lend a helping hand; to give someone assistance through a difficult or trying time. This expression, originally meaning to help someone mount a horse, now carries the figurative sense of assisting another over life’s obstacles or helping someone advance through the ranks. She was now devoting all her energies to give them a leg up. (William E. Norris, Misadventure, 1890) good Samaritan A compassionate person who selflessly helps those in need; a friend in need; also simply a Samaritan. The allusion is to the Biblical parable (Luke 10:30-37) which tells of a man who had been beaten by thieves. He lay half-dead by the roadside while his neighbors, a priest and a Levite, passed him by. It was a Samaritan, his supposed enemy, who finally showed compassion for the man and took care of him. This expression dates from at least 1644. I wish some good Samaritan of a Conservative with sufficient authority could heal the feuds among our friends. (Lord Ashburton, Croker Papers, 1846) go to bat for To support actively, to stick up for or defend; to intercede for, to go to the assistance of. This American slang expression owes its origin to baseball—specifically the role of the pinch hitter. In the mid-1800s, go to the bat was used; by the turn of the century go or come to bat for gained currency. Now go to bat for is heard almost exclusively. The daughter of old man Brewster who owns the Evening Tab, my meal ticket, came to bat when my show was ready to close. (J. P. McEvoy, Show Girl, 1928) ka me, ka thee See RECIPROCITY. pinch-hit To substitute for a regular worker, player, speaker, or performer, especially in an emergency; to take an other person’s place. In this expression, pinch refers to an emergency, a time of stress, and hit refers to a successful, or hopefully successful, attempt. A person called upon in such a predicament is called a pinch-hitter. Though it originated and is most commonly used in baseball to describe the substitution of a batter for the regularly scheduled one, usually at a crucial point in the game, pinch-hit has been expanded to include many other situations and contexts. In his absence, he has called upon three good friends, also authors of daily columns, to pinch-hit for him and give his readers a “change of pace.” (Lubbock[Texas] Morning Avalanche, February, 1949) ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
assistance noun help, backing, service, support, benefit, aid, relief, boost, promotion, cooperation, encouragement, collaboration, reinforcement, helping hand, sustenance, succour, furtherance, abetment He's been operating the shop with the assistance of volunteers. opposition, resistance, obstruction, hindrance Translations assistance [əˈsɪstəns] N → ayuda f, auxilio m to be of assistance to; give assistance to → ayudar a, prestar ayuda a can I be of any assistance? → ¿puedo ayudarle?, ¿le puedo servir en algo? to come to sb's assistance → acudir en ayuda or auxilio de algn assistance [əˈsɪstəns] n → aide f assistance in doing sth → aide pour faire qch can I be of assistance?, can I be of any assistance? → je peux vous aider? to come to sb's assistance → venir en aide à qn assistance n → Hilfe f; to give assistance to somebody (= come to aid of) → jdm Hilfe leisten; my secretary will give you every assistance → meine Sekretärin wird Ihnen in jeder Hinsicht behilflich sein; to come to somebody’s assistance → jdm zu Hilfe kommen; to be of assistance to somebody → jdm helfen or behilflich sein; can I be of any assistance? → kann ich irgendwie helfen or behilflich sein? assistance [əˈsɪst/əns] n → aiuto, assistenza can I be of any assistance? → posso esserle utile (in qualcosa)? (in shop) → desidera? to come to sb's assistance → venire in aiuto a qn How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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