assist

[uh-sist]

verb (used with object)

1. to give support or aid to; help.

   Please assist him in moving the furniture.

   Synonyms: promote, back, befriend, abet, sustain
   Antonyms: frustrate, hinder

2. to be associated with as an assistant or helper.

verb (used without object)

1. to give aid or help.

2. to be present, as at a meeting or ceremony.

noun

1. Sports.

   1. Baseball.,  a play that helps to put out a batter or base runner.

   2. Basketball, Ice Hockey.,  a play that helps a teammate in gaining a goal.

   3. the official credit scored for such plays.

2. a helpful act.

   She finished her homework without an assist from her father.

3. Machinery.,  an electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical means of increasing power, efficiency, or ease of use.

   a luxury automobile equipped with assists for brakes, steering, windows, and seat adjustment.

assist

/ əˈsɪst /

verb

1. to give help or support to (a person, cause, etc); aid

2. to work or act as an assistant or subordinate to (another)

3. ice hockey to help (a team-mate) to score, as by passing the puck

4. archaic,  to be present; attend

noun

1. the act of helping; aid; assistance

2. baseball the act of a player who throws or deflects a batted ball in such a way that a team is enabled to put out an opponent

3. sport

   1. a pass or other action by a player which enables another player to score a goal

   2. a credit given for such an action

Other Word Forms

• assister noun
• assistive adjective
• nonassister noun
• overassist verb
• reassist verb (used with object)
• unassisted adjective
• unassisting adjective
• well-assisted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of assist¹

First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin assistere “to stand by, help,” from as- as- ( def. ) + sistere “to cause to stand, stop,” derivative of stāre “to stand” ( stand ( def. ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of assist¹

C15: from French assister to be present, from Latin assistere to stand by, from sistere to cause to stand, from stāre to stand

Synonym Study

See help.

Example Sentences

Doncic scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half and finished with 12 assists and seven rebounds.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the show, curated by Kyle Croft, executive director of Visual AIDS, an arts organization that raises awareness and assists artists living with HIV/AIDS, we see how quickly she took to the medium.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Peers have called for more time to debate legislation which would introduce assisted dying in England and Wales, as the bill makes slow progress through the House of Lords.

Read more on BBC

That worked for my grandmother, who transitioned from independent living to assisted living to a Medicaid bed in the nursing-care unit of her community in the 1990s.

Read more on MarketWatch

This season he has very much established himself as a regular at City, making 10 Premier League appearances so far, scoring one goal and providing two assists.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• aid 
• back 
• benefit 
• boost 
• cooperate 
• expedite 
• facilitate 
• reinforce 
• support 
• sustain 
• take care of