2 aid
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural aidsMeaning:
1 [noncount] : the act of helping someone : help or assistance given to someone ▪ The teacher enlisted/sought the aid of several students for the project. [=the teacher asked several students to help with the project] ▪ The project was completed with the aid of several students. ▪ The work was done with the aid of a computer. ▪ I can no longer read without the aid of glasses. [=without using glasses] ▪ When the climbers became trapped by bad weather, a rescue party was sent to their aid. [=was sent to help/rescue them]
2 [noncount] a : something (such as money, food, or equipment) that is given by a government or an organization to help the people in a country or area where many people are suffering because of poverty, disease, etc. ▪ The government has given millions of dollars in economic/foreign aid to these nations. ▪ humanitarian aid —often used before another noun ▪ international aid organizations ▪ an aid worker [=a person who goes to a foreign country to help the people there] b : money that is given to a student to help pay for the cost of attending a school ▪ She applied for financial/student aid in order to go to college.
3 [count] a : something that provides help or assistance ▪ The diagram is provided as an aid to understanding. ▪ The computer is an aid to keeping costs down. b : a device, object, etc., that makes something easier to do ▪ He teaches art with visual aids. ▪ aids to navigation = navigational aids ▪ instructional/learning aids ▪ a pill used as an aid for sleeping = a sleeping aid —see also first aid, hearing aid
4 [count] chiefly US : a person whose job is to assist someone : aide ▪ She works as a teacher's aid.
2 [noncount] a : something (such as money, food, or equipment) that is given by a government or an organization to help the people in a country or area where many people are suffering because of poverty, disease, etc. ▪ The government has given millions of dollars in economic/foreign aid to these nations. ▪ humanitarian aid —often used before another noun ▪ international aid organizations ▪ an aid worker [=a person who goes to a foreign country to help the people there] b : money that is given to a student to help pay for the cost of attending a school ▪ She applied for financial/student aid in order to go to college.
3 [count] a : something that provides help or assistance ▪ The diagram is provided as an aid to understanding. ▪ The computer is an aid to keeping costs down. b : a device, object, etc., that makes something easier to do ▪ He teaches art with visual aids. ▪ aids to navigation = navigational aids ▪ instructional/learning aids ▪ a pill used as an aid for sleeping = a sleeping aid —see also first aid, hearing aid
4 [count] chiefly US : a person whose job is to assist someone : aide ▪ She works as a teacher's aid.
in aid of
chiefly Brit : in order to help (something or someone) ▪ The event is being held in aid of charity. ▪ in aid of refugees ◊The informal British expression What's (all) this/that in aid of? is used to ask about the purpose of something. ▪ “What's all this rushing about in aid of, then?” [=what's all this rushing about for?] “We're trying to get things ready for the boss's visit.”