helping verb

noun

1. auxiliary verb.

Word History and Origins

Origin of helping verb¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

It says a “pone” of cornbread is borrowed from the Native American language Algonquian; having “boo coos” of something links to the French “beaucoup;” and that “might could” is a compound helping verb influenced by the Scotch-Irish.

From Seattle Times

It says a “pone” of cornbread is borrowed from the Native American language Algonquian; having “boo coos” of something links to the French “beaucoup,” and that “might could” is a compound helping verb influenced by the Scotch-Irish.

From Washington Times

Why in the world do people choose to use that word pretty much exclusively as a verb that must be preceded by a helping verb to denote an activity for which there is no lack of synonyms — proper and obscene?

From Washington Post

If there is such a thing as a passive verb, it can never be used in the present tense, for the action expressed by the principal verb which is produced by the agent operating upon the object, is always past tense, and the auxiliary, or helping verb to be, is always present.

From Project Gutenberg

Have has also been reckoned as an auxiliary by the "helping verb grammars," which has no other duty to perform than help conjugate other verbs thro some of their moods and tenses.

From Project Gutenberg