AID

¹

[ eyd ]

noun

, U.S. Government.

1. the division of the United States International Development Cooperation Agency that coordinates the various foreign aid programs with U.S. foreign policy: established in 1961.

AID

²

abbreviation for

1. American Institute of Decorators.
2. American Institute of Interior Designers.
3. British. artificial insemination donor. Also A.I.D.

aid

³

[ eyd ]

verb (used with object)

1. to provide support for or relief to; help:

   to aid the victims of the fire.

2. to promote the progress or accomplishment of; facilitate.

   Synonyms: advance, foster, back, abet

   Antonyms: frustrate, hinder

verb (used without object)

1. to give help or assistance.

noun

1. help or support; assistance.

   Synonyms: grant, subsidy, relief, succor

2. a person or thing that aids or furnishes assistance; helper; auxiliary.
3. aids, Manège.
   1. Also called natural aids. the means by which a rider communicates with and controls a horse, as the hands, legs, voice, and shifts in weight.
   2. Also called artificial aids. the devices used by a rider to increase control of a horse, as spurs, whip, and martingale.
4. aide-de-camp.
5. foreign aid.
6. a payment made by feudal vassals to their lord on special occasions.
7. English History. (after 1066) any of several revenues received by a king in the Middle Ages from his vassals and other subjects, limited by the Magna Charta to specified occasions.

aid

¹

/ eɪd /

verb

1. to give support to (someone to do something); help or assist
2. tr to assist financially

noun

1. assistance; help; support
2. a person, device, etc, that helps or assists

   a teaching aid

3. Alsoartificial aid mountaineering any of various devices such as piton or nut when used as a direct help in the ascent
4. (in medieval Europe; in England after 1066) a feudal payment made to the king or any lord by his vassals, usually on certain occasions such as the marriage of a daughter or the knighting of an eldest son
5. in aid of informal.
   in support of; for the purpose of

AID

²

abbreviation for

1. acute infectious disease
2. artificial insemination (by) donor: former name for Donor Insemination (DI)

Aid

³

combining form

1. denoting a charitable organization or function that raises money for a cause

   Band Aid

   Ferryaid

Confusables Note

Although the nouns aid and aide both have among their meanings “an assisting person,” the spelling aide is increasingly used for the sense “helper, assistant”: One of the senator's aides is calling. Aide in military use is short for aide-de-camp. It is also the spelling in nurse's aide.

Derived Forms

• ˈaider, noun

Other Words From

• aid·er noun
• aid·ful adjective
• aid·less adjective
• un·aid·ed adjective
• un·aid·ed·ly adverb
• un·aid·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of AID¹

A(gency for) I(nternational) D(evelopment)

Origin of AID²

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English noun aide, eide, from Anglo-French, Old French aide, derivative of verb aid(i)er, from Latin adjūtāre “to help”; adjuvant ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of AID¹

C15: via Old French aidier from Latin adjūtāre to help, from juvāre to help

Synonym Study

See help.

Example Sentences

Nelson, curator of SoyBase, explained, "having even a potential transcription start site will aid in the analysis of soybean gene promoter regions. This may shed light on the proteins that interact with promoters and induce transcription."

From Science Daily

During Trump’s first term, McMahon served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017-2019 before resigning to aid with Trump’s re-election campaign, serving as the chairwoman of the super PAC America First Action.

From Salon

Republicans have criticized the legislation as overly focused on food aid at the expense of agricultural producers — and now that they control the House, Senate and White House, it’s unlikely Stabenow’s version of the bill will be passed by year-end, if at all.

From Salon

Aid charities have said the deadlock has put the whole deal over support for women in jeopardy with just three days to go before the conference ends.

From BBC

Long-term, the criminologist said funds should be directed away from prisons and into communities and agencies that aid inmates once they are freed.

From BBC

Related Words

• abet
• alleviate
• assist
• encourage
• promote
• subsidize