Help vs. Support

(uncountable) Action given to provide assistance; aid.

Example: ‘I need some help with my homework.’;

Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.

Example: ‘He was a great help to me when I was moving house.’; ‘I've printed out a list of math helps.’;

Documentation provided with computer software, etc. and accessed using the computer.

Example: ‘I can't find anything in the help about rotating an image.’;

One or more people employed to help in the maintenance of a house or the operation of a farm or enterprise.

Example: ‘The help is coming round this morning to clean.’; ‘Most of the hired help is seasonal, for the harvest.’;

(uncountable) Correction of deficits, as by psychological counseling or medication or social support or remedial training.

Example: ‘His suicide attempts were a cry for help.’; ‘He really needs help in handling customer complaints.’; ‘“He’s a real road-rager.” / “Yup, he really needs help, maybe anger management.”’;

(transitive) To provide assistance to (someone or something).

Example: ‘He helped his grandfather cook breakfast.’;

(transitive) To assist (a person) in getting something, especially food or drink at table; used with to.

Example: ‘It is polite to help your guests to food before serving yourself.’; ‘Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge.’;

(transitive) To contribute in some way to.

Example: ‘The white paint on the walls helps make the room look brighter.’; ‘If you want to get a job, it helps to have some prior experience.’;

(intransitive) To provide assistance.

Example: ‘She was struggling with the groceries, so I offered to help.’; ‘Please, help!’;

(transitive) To avoid; to prevent; to refrain from; to restrain (oneself). Usually used in nonassertive contexts with can.

Example: ‘We couldn’t help noticing that you were late.’; ‘We couldn’t help but notice that you were late.’; ‘She’s trying not to smile, but she can’t help herself.’; ‘Can I help it if I'm so beautiful?’; ‘Can I help it that I fell in love with you?’; ‘Are they going to beat us?’; ‘Not if I can help it!’;

A cry of distress or an urgent request for assistance

To furnish with strength or means for the successful performance of any action or the attainment of any object; to aid; to assist; as, to help a man in his work; to help one to remember; - the following infinitive is commonly used without to; as, "Help me scale yon balcony."

To furnish with the means of deliverance from trouble; as, to help one in distress; to help one out of prison.

To furnish with relief, as in pain or disease; to be of avail against; - sometimes with of before a word designating the pain or disease, and sometimes having such a word for the direct object.

Example: ‘The true calamus helps coughs.’;

To change for the better; to remedy.

Example: ‘Cease to lament for what thou canst not help.’;

To prevent; to hinder; as, the evil approaches, and who can help it?

To forbear; to avoid.

Example: ‘I can not help remarking the resemblance betwixt him and our author.’;

To wait upon, as the guests at table, by carving and passing food.

Example: ‘The god of learning and of lightWould want a god himself to help him out.’;

To lend aid or assistance; to contribute strength or means; to avail or be of use; to assist.

Example: ‘A generous present helps to persuade, as well as an agreeable person.’;

Strength or means furnished toward promoting an object, or deliverance from difficulty or distress; aid; ^; also, the person or thing furnishing the aid; as, he gave me a help of fifty dollars.

Example: ‘Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man.’; ‘God is . . . a very present help in trouble.’; ‘Virtue is a friend and a help to nature.’;

Remedy; relief; as, there is no help for it.

A helper; one hired to help another; also, thew hole force of hired helpers in any business.

Specifically, a domestic servant, man or woman.

the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose;

Example: ‘he gave me an assist with the housework’; ‘could not walk without assistance’; ‘rescue party went to their aid’; ‘offered his help in unloading’;

a resource;

Example: ‘visual aids in teaching’; ‘economic assistance to depressed areas’;

a means of serving;

Example: ‘of no avail’; ‘there's no help for it’;

a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose;

Example: ‘my invaluable assistant’; ‘they hired additional help to finish the work’;

give help or assistance; be of service;

Example: ‘Everyone helped out during the earthquake’; ‘Can you help me carry this table?’; ‘She never helps around the house’;

be of use;

Example: ‘This will help to prevent accidents’;

improve the condition of;

Example: ‘These pills will help the patient’;

abstain from doing; always used with a negative;

Example: ‘I can't help myself--I have to smoke’; ‘She could not help watching the sad spectacle’;

contribute to the furtherance of;

Example: ‘This money will help the development of literacy in developing countries’;

improve; change for the better;

Example: ‘New slipcovers will help the old living room furniture’;

help to some food; help with food or drink;

Example: ‘I served him three times, and after that he helped himself’;

take or use;

Example: ‘She helped herself to some of the office supplies’;

make it easier or possible for (someone) to do something by offering them one's services or resources

Example: ‘the teenager helped out in the corner shop’; ‘she helped him find a buyer’; ‘they helped her with domestic chores’;

improve (a situation or problem); be of benefit to

Example: ‘legislation to fit all new cars with catalytic converters will help’; ‘upbeat comments about prospects helped confidence’;

assist (someone) to move

Example: ‘I helped her up’;

assist someone to put on or take off (a garment)

Example: ‘she would help him off with his coat’;

serve someone with (food or drink)

Example: ‘may I help you to some more meat?’; ‘she helped herself to a biscuit’;

take something without permission

Example: ‘he helped himself to the wages she had brought home’;

cannot or could not avoid

Example: ‘he couldn't help laughing’; ‘I'm sorry to put you to any inconvenience, but it can't be helped’;

cannot or could not stop oneself from doing something

Example: ‘she couldn't help herself; she burst into tears’;

the action of helping someone to do something

Example: ‘I asked for help from my neighbours’;

the fact of being useful

Example: ‘the skimpy manual isn't much help for beginners’;

a person or thing that helps

Example: ‘he was a great help’; ‘she's been given financial help with travel’;

a domestic employee

Example: ‘she has taught herself to cook since the defection of the last of the village helps’; ‘the help cleaned up the leftover food and half-drunk cocktails’;

giving assistance to a computer user in the form of displayed instructions

Example: ‘a help menu’;

used as an appeal for urgent assistance

Example: ‘Help! I'm drowning!’;

Something which supports. Often used attributively, as a complement or supplement to.

Example: ‘Don't move that beam! It's a support for the whole platform.’;

Financial or other help.

Example: ‘The government provides support to the arts in several ways.’;

Answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold.

Example: ‘Sure they sell the product, but do they provide support?’;

(mathematics) in relation to a function, the set of points where the function is not zero, or the closure of that set.

(fuzzy set theory) A set whose elements are at least partially included in a given fuzzy set (i.e., whose grade of membership in that fuzzy set is strictly greater than zero).

Example: ‘If the membership function of a fuzzy set is continuous, then that fuzzy set's support is an open set.’;

Evidence.

Example: ‘The new research provides further support for our theory.’;

(computing) Compatibility and functionality for a given product or feature.

Example: ‘This game has no mouse support.’;

(gymnastics) support position

(structural analysis) Horizontal, vertical oder rotational support of structures: movable, hinged, fixed ..

(transitive) To keep from falling.

Example: ‘Don’t move that beam! It supports the whole platform.’;

(transitive) To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.

Example: ‘Sure they sell the product, but do they support it?’;

(transitive) To back a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid.

Example: ‘I support France in the World Cup’;

(transitive) To help, particularly financially.

Example: ‘The government supports the arts in several ways.’;

To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain.

Example: ‘The testimony is not sufficient to support the charges.’; ‘The evidence will not support the statements or allegations.’;

(transitive) To serve, as in a customer-oriented mindset; to give support to.

Example: ‘The IT Department supports the research organization, but not the sales force.’; ‘I don't make decisions: I just support those who do.’;

(transitive) To be designed (said of machinery, electronics, or computers, or their parts, accessories, peripherals, or programming) to function compatibly with or provide the capacity for.

Example: ‘Early personal computers did not support voice-recognition hardware or software.’;

(transitive) To be accountable for, or involved with, but not responsible for.

Example: ‘I support the administrative activities of the executive branch of the organization’;

(archaic) To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; to tolerate.

To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain.

Example: ‘to support the character of King Lear’;

To bear by being under; to keep from falling; to uphold; to sustain, in a literal or physical sense; to prop up; to bear the weight of; as, a pillar supports a structure; an abutment supports an arch; the trunk of a tree supports the branches.

To endure without being overcome, exhausted, or changed in character; to sustain; as, to support pain, distress, or misfortunes.

Example: ‘This fierce demeanor and his insolenceThe patience of a god could not support.’;

To keep from failing or sinking; to solace under affictive circumstances; to assist; to encourage; to defend; as, to support the courage or spirits.

To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain; as, to support the character of King Lear.

To furnish with the means of sustenance or livelihood; to maintain; to provide for; as, to support a family; to support the ministers of the gospel.

To carry on; to enable to continue; to maintain; as, to support a war or a contest; to support an argument or a debate.

To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain; as, the testimony is not sufficient to support the charges; the evidence will not support the statements or allegations.

Example: ‘To urge such arguments, as though they were sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy.’;

To vindicate; to maintain; to defend successfully; as, to be able to support one's own cause.

To uphold by aid or countenance; to aid; to help; to back up; as, to support a friend or a party; to support the present administration.

Example: ‘Wherefore, bold pleasant,Darest thou support a published traitor?’;

A attend as an honorary assistant; as, a chairman supported by a vice chairman; O'Connell left the prison, supported by his two sons.

The act, state, or operation of supporting, upholding, or sustaining.

That which upholds, sustains, or keeps from falling, as a prop, a pillar, or a foundation of any kind.

That which maintains or preserves from being overcome, falling, yielding, sinking, giving way, or the like; subsistence; maintenance; assistance; reënforcement; as, he gave his family a good support, the support of national credit; the assaulting column had the support of a battery.

the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities;

Example: ‘his support kept the family together’; ‘they gave him emotional support during difficult times’;

aiding the cause or policy or interests of;

Example: ‘the president no longer had the support of his own party’; ‘they developed a scheme of mutual support’;

something providing immaterial support or assistance to a person or cause or interest;

Example: ‘the policy found little public support’; ‘his faith was all the support he needed’; ‘the team enjoyed the support of their fans’;

a military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission;

Example: ‘they called for artillery support’;

documentary validation;

Example: ‘his documentation of the results was excellent’; ‘the strongest support for this this view is the work of Jones’;

the financial means whereby one lives;

Example: ‘each child was expected to pay for their keep’; ‘he applied to the state for support’; ‘he could no longer earn his own livelihood’;

supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation;

Example: ‘the statue stood on a marble support’;

the act of bearing the weight of or strengthening;

Example: ‘he leaned against the wall for support’;

a subordinate musical part; provides background for more important parts

any device that bears the weight of another thing;

Example: ‘there was no place to attach supports for a shelf’;

financial resources provided to make some project possible;

Example: ‘the foundation provided support for the experiment’;

give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to;

Example: ‘She supported him during the illness’; ‘Her children always backed her up’;

support materially or financially;

Example: ‘he does not support his natural children’; ‘The scholarship supported me when I was in college’;

be behind; approve of;

Example: ‘He plumped for the Labor Party’; ‘I backed Kennedy in 1960’;

be the physical support of; carry the weight of;

Example: ‘The beam holds up the roof’; ‘He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam’; ‘What's holding that mirror?’;

establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts;

Example: ‘his story confirmed my doubts’; ‘The evidence supports the defendant’;

adopt as a belief;

Example: ‘I subscribe to your view on abortion’;

support with evidence or authority or make more certain or confirm;

Example: ‘The stories and claims were born out by the evidence’;

argue or speak in defense of;

Example: ‘She supported the motion to strike’;

play a subordinate role to (another performer);

Example: ‘Olivier supported Gielgud beautifully in the second act’;

be a regular customer or client of;

Example: ‘We patronize this store’; ‘Our sponsor kept our art studio going for as long as he could’;

put up with something or somebody unpleasant;

Example: ‘I cannot bear his constant criticism’; ‘The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks’; ‘he learned to tolerate the heat’; ‘She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage’;