/ eɪd; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] money, food, etc. that is sent to help countries in difficult situations :
economic / humanitarian / emergency aid
An extra £10 million in foreign aid has been promised.
aid agencies (= organizations that provide help)
medical aid programmes
—see also financial aid , legal aid
2.
[ U ] help that you need to perform a particular task :
He was breathing only with the aid of a ventilator.
This job would be impossible without the aid of a computer.
3.
[ U ] ( formal ) help that is given to a person :
One of the staff saw he was in difficulty and came to his aid (= helped him) .
—see also first aid
4.
[ C ] an object, a machine, etc. that you use to help you do sth :
a hearing aid
Photos make useful teaching aids.
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IDIOMS
- in aid of sth/sb
- what's ... in aid of?
■ verb
aid (sb/sth) (in sth / in doing sth) | aid sb (with sth) ( formal ) to help sb/sth to do sth, especially by making it easier
SYN assist :
[ v ]
The new test should aid in the early detection of the disease.
[ vn ]
This feature is designed to aid inexperienced users.
They were accused of aiding his escape.
They were accused of aiding him in his escape.
Aided by heat and strong winds, the fire quickly spread.
[also vn to inf ]
•
IDIOMS
- aid and abet
For more information see the Cultural Guide
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French aide (noun), aidier (verb), based on Latin adjuvare , from ad- towards + juvare to help.