assist

/əˈsɪst/

/əˈsɪst/

Other forms: assisted; assisting; assists

You run up the field, pass the ball to the forward and she scores! It’s your third assist of the game. On and off the soccer field, to assist is to help or contribute.

The English word assist came to us in the early 15th century from the French word assister, meaning to "to stand by or help.” The French word is pronounced "ah-sis-tay" and is not to be confused with "a sister." Even if your sister is helpful.

Definitions of assist

1. verb

   give help or assistance; be of service
   synonyms: aid, help

   types:

   alleviate, ease, facilitate

   make easier

   attend, attend to, serve, wait on

   work for or be a servant to

   benefact

   help as a benefactor

   help out

   be of help, as in a particular situation of need

   subserve

   be helpful or useful

   succor, succour

   help in a difficult situation

   expedite, hasten

   speed up the progress of; facilitate

   avail

   be of use to, be useful to

   care, give care

   provide care for

   bootstrap

   help oneself, often through improvised means

   dry-nurse

   take care of an infant without breastfeeding it

   valet

   serve as a personal attendant to

   attend, look, see, take care

   take charge of or deal with

   fuss, mother, overprotect

   care for like a mother

   nurse

   serve as a nurse; care for sick or handicapped people

   fag

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

   type of:

   back up, support

   give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to
2. verb

   work for or be a servant to
   “Is a salesperson assisting you?”

   synonyms: attend, attend to, serve, wait on

   serve

   devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas

   types:

   valet

   serve as a personal attendant to

   fag

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

   type of:

   aid, help

   give help or assistance; be of service
3. verb

   act as an assistant in a subordinate or supportive function
   types:

   protect

   use tariffs to favor domestic industry

   abet

   assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing

   type of:

   work

   exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
4. noun

   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”

   synonyms: aid, assistance, help

   types:

   self-help

   the act of helping or improving yourself without relying on anyone else

   facilitation

   act of assisting or making easier the progress or improvement of something

   hand, helping hand

   physical assistance

   recourse, refuge, resort

   act of turning to for assistance

   thanks

   with the help of or owing to

   ministration, relief, succor, succour

   assistance in time of difficulty

   lift

   the act of giving temporary assistance

   service

   an act of help or assistance

   accommodation

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

   boost, encouragement

   the act of giving hope or support to someone

   comfort

   assistance, such as that provided to an enemy or to a known criminal

   support

   aiding the cause or policy or interests of

   service

   the performance of duties by a waiter or servant

   child care, childcare

   a service involving care for other people's children

   community service

   unpaid public work performed by lawbreakers as part (or all) of their sentence

   community service, public service

   a service that is performed for the benefit of the public or its institutions

   help desk, helpdesk

   a service that provides information and assistance to the users of a computer network

   seating

   the service of ushering people to their seats

   morale booster, morale building

   anything that serves to increase morale

   comfort, consolation, solace

   the act of consoling; giving relief in affliction

   adherence, adhesion, attachment

   faithful support for a cause or political party or religion

   advocacy, protagonism

   active support of an idea or cause etc.; especially the act of pleading or arguing for something

   sponsorship

   the act of sponsoring (either officially or financially)

   endorsement, indorsement

   the act of endorsing

   approval, approving, blessing

   the formal act of approving

   reassurance

   the act of reassuring; restoring someone's confidence

   mercy

   alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed

   type of:

   activity

   any specific behavior
5. noun

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

   maneuver, manoeuvre, play

   a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill