aid
10 ENTRIES FOUND:
aids;
aided;
aiding
aids;
aided;
aiding
Britannica Dictionary definition of AID
:
to provide what is useful or necessary
:
help
[+ object]
-
They gave money in order to aid the cause.
-
She aided them in their efforts.
-
He jumped into the water to aid the drowning child.
-
His position was aided [=strengthened] by the fact that he was right.
-
a home run that was aided by the wind
-
aiding the poor
-
She aided the government in the attempt to fight illiteracy.
-
She is charged with aiding and abetting [=helping and encouraging] the thief in his getaway.
[no object]
— usually + in
-
She aided in the attempt to fight illiteracy.
-
His research aided in the discovery of a new treatment for cancer.
-
The research aided in establishing new theories.
2
aid
/ˈeɪd/
noun
plural
aids
2
aid
/ˈeɪd/
noun
plural
aids
Britannica Dictionary definition of AID
1
[noncount]
:
the act of helping someone
:
help or assistance given to someone
—
see also first aid
-
The teacher enlisted/sought the aid of several students for the project. [=the teacher asked several students to help with the project]
-
The project was completed with the aid of several students.
-
The work was done with the aid of a computer.
-
I can no longer read without the aid of glasses. [=without using glasses]
-
When the climbers became trapped by bad weather, a rescue party was sent to their aid. [=was sent to help/rescue them]
2
[noncount]
a
:
something (such as money, food, or equipment) that is given by a government or an organization to help the people in a country or area where many people are suffering because of poverty, disease, etc.
— often used before another noun
-
The government has given millions of dollars in economic/foreign aid to these nations.
-
humanitarian aid
-
international aid organizations
-
an aid worker [=a person who goes to a foreign country to help the people there]
b
:
money that is given to a student to help pay for the cost of attending a school
-
She applied for financial/student aid in order to go to college.
3
[count]
a
:
something that provides help or assistance
-
The diagram is provided as an aid to understanding.
-
The computer is an aid to keeping costs down.
b
:
a device, object, etc., that makes something easier to do
—
see also hearing aid
-
He teaches art with visual aids.
-
aids to navigation = navigational aids
-
instructional/learning aids
-
a pill used as an aid for sleeping = a sleeping aid
4
in aid of
chiefly British
:
in order to help (something or someone)
-
The event is being held in aid of charity.
-
in aid of refugees
◊ The informal British expression What's (all) this/that in aid of? is used to ask about the purpose of something.
-
“What's all this rushing about in aid of, then?” [=what's all this rushing about for?] “We're trying to get things ready for the boss's visit.”
