Etymology : Middle English eyden, from Middle French aider, from Latin adjutare, frequentative of adjuvare, from ad- + juvare to help
Pronunciation : 'Ad
Function : verb
Date : 15th century
1. help; assistance; accessory. help; assist. aid\aid\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. aided ; p. pr. & vb. n. aiding.] [f. aider, of. aidier, fr. l. adjutare to help, freq. of adjuvare to help; ad + juvare to help. cf. adjutant.] to support, either by furnishing strength or means in co?peration to effect a purpose, or to prevent or to remove evil; to help; to assist. you speedy helpers appear and aid me in this enterprise.
2. To support, either by furnishing strength or means in coöperation to effect a purpose, or to prevent or to remove evil; to help; to assist.
3. Help; succor; assistance; relief.
4. The person or thing that promotes or helps in something done; a helper; an assistant.
5. A subsidy granted to the king by Parliament; also, an exchequer loan.
6. A pecuniary tribute paid by a vassal to his lord on special occasions.
7. An aid-de-camp, so called by abbreviation; as, a general's aid. the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose; "he gave me an assist with the housework"; "could not walk without assistance"; "rescue party went to their aid"; "offered his help in unloading" a resource; "visual aids in teaching"; "economic assistance to depressed areas" a gift of money to support a worthy person or cause.
8. 1. Aid is money, equipment, or services that are provided for people, countries, or organizations who need them but cannot provide them for themselves. regular flights carrying humanitarian aid to Cambodia They have already pledged billions of dollars in aid. food aid convoys.
9. To aid a country, organization, or person means to provide them with money, equipment, or services that they need. US efforts to aid Kurdish refugees. + -aided -aided grant-aided factories. state-aided schools.
10. To aid someone means to help or assist them. a software system to aid managers in advanced decision-making The hunt for her killer will continue, with police aided by the army and air force. = help, assist Aid is also a noun. He was forced to turn for aid to his former enemy. = assistance.
11. If you perform a task with the aid of something, you need or use that thing to perform that task. He succeeded with the aid of a completely new method he discovered = help.
12. An aid is an object, device, or technique that makes something easier to do. The book is an invaluable aid to teachers of literature.
13. If something aids a process, it makes it easier or more likely to happen. The export sector will aid the economic recovery Calcium may aid in the prevention of colon cancer. see also:
Band-Aid, first aid, hearing aid, legal aid.
14. An activity or event in aid of a particular cause or charity is intended to raise money for that cause or charity. a charity performance in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
15. If you come or go to someone's aid, you try to help them when they are in danger or difficulty. the abbreviation of the Agency for International Development.