helping hand

American

noun

aid; assistance.

to give the destitute a helping hand.

helping hand British

noun

assistance

many people lent a helping hand in making arrangements for the party

"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

helping hand Idioms

see under lend a hand.

Etymology

Origin of helping hand

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

However, he was given a huge helping hand by his 22-year-old opponent, who initially appeared to be carrying the weight of the occasion on his shoulders.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Parkkonen, who appears on stage as enigmatic and brooding while lamenting his unanswered love next to a flaming confessional, hoped the song will serve as "a helping hand".

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Intel is the first major chip maker to lend Elon Musk a helping hand in his bid to launch a potentially multitrillion-dollar semiconductor manufacturing project.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Acquiring Globalstar could give Amazon a helping hand as it seeks to compete with Starlink.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

“I think the people of this state need and deserve a helping hand, and I’m going to see that you get it!” he shouted, socking the air.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023