aid

[ eyd ]
/ eɪd /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR aid ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to provide support for or relief to; help: to aid the homeless victims of the fire.
to promote the progress or accomplishment of; facilitate.

verb (used without object)

to give help or assistance.

noun

QUIZZES

CAN YOU FEEL THE WEAL WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ?

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Question 1 of 7
weal
well-being, prosperity, or happiness.
the intervening time.
a somewhat prolonged, sharp, shrill cry, as of pain, fear, or surprise.
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Origin of aid

1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English ayde < Anglo-French, Old French aide, noun derivative of aid(i)er < Latin adjūtāre to help (frequentative of adjuvāre), equivalent to ad- ad- + -jū- help + -t- frequentative suffix + -āre infinitive suffix; (v.) < Anglo-French, Old French aid(i)er < Latin, as above

SYNONYMS FOR aid

1 See help.
2 abet, back, foster, advance.
4 succor; relief; subsidy, grant.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR aid ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for aid

Although the nouns aid and aide both have among their meanings “an assisting person,” the spelling aide is increasingly used for the sense “helper, assistant”: One of the senator's aides is calling. Aide in military use is short for aide-de-camp. It is also the spelling in nurse's aide.

OTHER WORDS FROM aid

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH aid

aid aide (see usage note at the current entry)aides aids AIDS

Words nearby aid

ai, aia, aiaw, aicc, aiche, aid, aid climbing, aid station, aid-de-camp, aida, aidan
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to aided

subsidize, abet, assist, encourage, alleviate, promote, mitigate, befriend, lighten, relieve, serve, favor, sustain

Example sentences from the Web for aided

British Dictionary definitions for aided (1 of 3)

Aid

-aid

n combining form

denoting a charitable organization or function that raises money for a causeBand Aid; Ferryaid

British Dictionary definitions for aided (2 of 3)

AID

abbreviation for

acute infectious disease
artificial insemination (by) donor: former name for Donor Insemination (DI)

British Dictionary definitions for aided (3 of 3)

aid
/ (eɪd) /

verb

to give support to (someone to do something); help or assist
(tr) to assist financially

noun

Derived forms of aid

aider, noun

Word Origin for aid

C15: via Old French aidier from Latin adjūtāre to help, from juvāre to help
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for aided

AID

abbr.

artificial insemination donor
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.