aid
aid Lexical Profile
aid Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Help, support, or assistance given to someone or something in achieving a purpose or overcoming a difficulty.
"Several neighbors came to her aid when her car broke down in the snow."
Financial or material resources, such as food, money, or medical supplies, provided to a country, region, or individual in need.
"The university offers generous financial aid to students from low-income families."
A device, object, or resource that makes a particular task, physical function, or learning process easier.
"The teacher used visual aids and interactive maps to explain the geography lesson."
• verb
To help, assist, or support someone or something in the achievement of a goal or task.
"Volunteers were recruited to aid the search team in the national park."
To promote, facilitate, or speed up a natural, biological, or operational process.
"Drinking warm herbal tea after a meal can aid digestion."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with the homophone 'aide'. 'Aid' serves as both a verb meaning to help and a noun referring to assistance or a helpful device, whereas 'aide' is strictly a noun denoting a person who acts as an assistant.
• Rhymes for aid
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 15th century from Old French 'aide' (help, support) and 'aidier' (to help), ultimately deriving from the Latin verb 'adiuvare' (to give help to), from 'ad-' (toward) and 'iuvare' (to help).