■ verb
1》 make it easier for (someone) to do something.
↘improve (a situation or problem); be of benefit to.
↘support (someone) to allow them to move in a specified direction: I ~ed her up.
2》 ( ~ someone to ) serve someone with (food or drink).
↘( ~ oneself ) take something without permission.
3》 ( can/could not ~ ) cannot or could not avoid.
↘( can/could not ~ oneself ) cannot or could not stop oneself from acting in a certain way.
■ noun
1》 action or support that ~s someone or something.
↘a source of such support.
2》 [as modifier ] Computing giving assistance to a user in the form of displayed instructions: a ~ menu.
3》 a domestic servant or employee.
■ exclamation used as an appeal for urgent assistance.
Phrases
so ~ me ( God ) used to emphasize that one means what one is saying.
there is no ~ for it there is no way of avoiding or remedying a situation.
Derivatives
~er noun
Origin
OE ~an (v.), ~ (n.), of Gmc origin.