ASSIST

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does assist mean? 

• ASSIST (noun)
  The noun ASSIST has 2 senses:

1. the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
2. (sports) the act of enabling another player to make a good play

  Familiarity information: ASSIST used as a noun is rare.

• ASSIST (verb)
  The verb ASSIST has 3 senses:

1. give help or assistance; be of service
2. act as an assistant in a subordinate or supportive function
3. work for or be a servant to

  Familiarity information: ASSIST used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ASSIST (noun)

Meaning:

The activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

assist; assistance; help; aid

Context examples:

he gave me an assist with the housework / could not walk without assistance / rescue party went to their aid / offered his help in unloading

Hypernyms ("assist" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "assist"):

self-help (the act of helping or improving yourself without relying on anyone else)

support (aiding the cause or policy or interests of)

boost; encouragement (the act of giving hope or support to someone)

accommodation (the act of providing something (lodging or seat or food) to meet a need)

service (an act of help or assistance)

lift (the act of giving temporary assistance)

ministration; relief; succor; succour (assistance in time of difficulty)

financial aid (assistance given in the form of money)

thanks (with the help of or owing to)

recourse; refuge; resort (act of turning to for assistance)

hand; helping hand (physical assistance)

facilitation (act of assisting or making easier the progress or improvement of something)

Meaning:

(sports) the act of enabling another player to make a good play

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("assist" is a kind of...):

maneuver; manoeuvre; play (a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill)

Domain category:

hockey; hockey game; ice hockey (a game played on an ice rink by two opposing teams of six skaters each who try to knock a flat round puck into the opponents' goal with angled sticks)

baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

basketball; basketball game; hoops (a game played on a court by two opposing teams of 5 players; points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal hoop)

• ASSIST (verb)

Meaning:

Give help or assistance; be of service

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

aid; assist; help

Context examples:

Everyone helped out during the earthquake / Can you help me carry this table? / She never helps around the house

Hypernyms (to "assist" is one way to...):

back up; support (give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "assist"):

care; give care (provide care for)

avail (be of use to, be useful to)

expedite; hasten (speed up the progress of; facilitate)

succor; succour (help in a difficult situation)

subserve (be helpful or useful)

help out (be of help, as in a particular situation of need)

benefact (help as a benefactor)

assist; attend; attend to; serve; wait on (work for or be a servant to)

alleviate; ease; facilitate (make easier)

bootstrap (help oneself, often through improvised means)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot assist Sue

Meaning:

Act as an assistant in a subordinate or supportive function

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "assist" is one way to...):

work (exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "assist"):

abet (assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing)

protect (use tariffs to favor domestic industry)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody

Meaning:

Work for or be a servant to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

wait on; attend to; assist; attend; serve

Context examples:

May I serve you? / She attends the old lady in the wheelchair / Can you wait on our table, please? / Is a salesperson assisting you? / The minister served the King for many years

Hypernyms (to "assist" is one way to...):

aid; assist; help (give help or assistance; be of service)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "assist"):

valet (serve as a personal attendant to)

fag (act as a servant for older boys, in British public schools)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody with something

Sentence example:

Sam cannot assist Sue