I. aid 1 S2 W2 AC /eɪd/ BrE AmE noun
1 . [uncountable] help, such as money or food, given by an organization or government to a country or to people who are in a difficult situation:
Foreign aid from many countries poured into the famine area.
convoys delivering humanitarian aid
a substantial aid programme
He has been granted legal aid (=free legal services) .
2 . [uncountable] help that you need to do a particular thing
with/without the aid of something
Father Poole walked painfully, with the aid of a stick.
3 . in aid of something in order to help a ↑ charity :
We’re collecting money in aid of cancer research.
4 . [uncountable] help or advice that is given to someone who needs it
come/go to sb’s aid (=help someone)
I didn’t speak any French, but a nice man came to my aid.
5 . [countable] something such as a machine or tool that helps someone do something:
A video is a useful aid in the classroom.
a hearing aid
6 . what’s this in aid of? British English spoken used to ask what something is used for or why someone is doing something:
What’s this meeting tomorrow in aid of, then?
7 . an American spelling of ↑ aide
⇨ ↑ first aid
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + aid
▪ foreign/international/overseas aid
The development of the continent is now dependent on foreign aid.
▪ legal aid
If you are on a low income, you may qualify for legal aid.
▪ financial/economic aid
The commission said it was ready to provide financial aid to help farmers.
▪ military aid
Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. economic and military aid.
▪ medical aid
The capital was in urgent need of food and medical aid.
▪ food aid
The government launched an appeal for emergency food aid for 60,000 people.
▪ humanitarian aid (=given to people living in very bad conditions)
Ministers agreed to send humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies.
▪ relief/emergency aid (=given when there is a disaster, a war etc)
Surrounding countries supplied disaster relief aid.
▪ development aid (=given to help develop poor countries)
It’s one of the poorest countries in the world, but it has received no UN development aid.
■ verbs
▪ send/provide aid
EU Ministers meeting in Belgium agreed to send humanitarian aid.
▪ ask for/appeal for aid
The Chinese authorities have asked for aid to help the earthquake victims.
▪ get/receive aid
Ethiopia receives less foreign aid than any other developing country.
▪ depend on/rely on aid
The report stated that some 703,000 people relied on food aid.
▪ suspend aid (=officially stop aid from continuing, usually for a short time)
Canada will be suspending aid until democracy is restored.
▪ cut off/withdraw aid (=stop giving aid)
The US has threatened to cut off aid to the region.
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Conditons deteriorated further as western aid was withdrawn.
▪ qualify for aid ( also be eligible for aid ) (=have the right to be given aid)
The project is eligible for aid from the British Tourist Board.
■ nouns
▪ an appeal/request for aid
International aid agencies launched an appeal for emergency aid.
▪ an aid worker
Aid workers warned of a worsening situation.
▪ aid agency
The sanctions could prevent international aid agencies from delivering food and medicine.
▪ an aid programme/scheme/package
The UN aid programme provided most of the finance.
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 5)
■ adjectives
▪ a hearing aid
Many of the older residents wear hearing aids.
▪ visual/audio/audio-visual aids (=recorded sounds, pictures, film etc, used to help describe or explain something)
No scientific lecture is ever given without slides or other visual aids.
▪ teaching/classroom aids
teaching aids and resources
▪ training/study aids
Receive free study aids when you enrol, including a copy of The IDM Marketing Guide worth £95.
▪ navigational/navigation aids (=that help you find the way you need to go when you are travelling from one place to another)
navigational aids such as radar
▪ electronic aids
Fishermen rely primarily on electronic aids for navigation.
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THESAURUS
▪ help the things you do to make it easier or possible for someone to do something:
Now that I’m working, the kids need to give me more help with the housework.
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The book would never have been finished without his help.
▪ assistance help. Assistance is more formal than help , and is used especially about people giving official help:
The police are asking the public for their assistance.
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The project received financial assistance from the government.
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Thank you very much for your assistance, sir.
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He set up the business with the assistance of his two sons.
▪ aid help. Aid is more formal than help , and is used especially about money, food, medicine etc. that is given to countries or people that are in a very bad situation:
Aid is being sent to areas affected by the earthquake.
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The US spends billions of dollars on aid to developing countries.
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Another driver stopped and came to his aid.
▪ support help and encouragement:
Thanks to everyone who gave us their support.
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We could not have won the case without your support.
▪ cooperation help – used especially when people, organizations, or countries work together to get things done, and show that they are willing to do this:
a spirit of international cooperation
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The cooperation of landowners was needed for the plan to succeed.
▪ backup extra people, equipment etc that can be used in case people need help:
The officer waited for backup to arrive before making any arrests.
II. aid 2 AC BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: aider , from Latin adjutare , from adjuvare , from ad- 'to' + juvare 'to help' ]
1 . to help someone do something:
an index to aid the reader
aid somebody in/with (doing) something
Mrs Coxen was aided in looking after the children by her niece.
2 . to make something happen more quickly or easily:
Welfare spending aids economic development in three ways.
3 . aid and abet law to help someone do something illegal
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ help to make it easier for someone to do something, by doing something for them or giving them something they need:
Is there anything I can do to help?
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Dad, I can’t do my homework. Will you help me?
▪ assist formal to help someone:
He was employed to assist the manager in his duties.
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Some of the guests assisted with the preparation of the food.
▪ aid formal to help someone to do something – used especially when saying that something helps your body to do something:
Coffee can aid concentration.
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Fennel aids the digestion.
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There are plenty of materials to aid the teacher.
▪ help out to help someone, especially because there are not enough people to do all the work, or they need someone to give them something:
Organizing the school trip will be a lot of work, so I need some volunteers to help out.
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My parents have helped us out on several occasions by sending us money.
▪ give somebody a hand informal to help someone to do something, especially by carrying or lifting things:
Can you give me a hand moving these boxes?
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Dave wants to paint the kitchen and I promised I’d give him a hand.
▪ lend a hand informal to help someone, especially when there are not enough people to do something:
Scott is moving on Saturday and we promised to lend a hand.
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I went over to see if I could lend a hand.