aid
gb/ˈeɪd/ us/ˈeɪd/
A2
English
~ 1300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
help or assistance
Help or support given to a person or group.
Usage pattern:
[someone] gives aid to [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'aid' (noun) with 'aide' (noun meaning an assistant).
Synonyms
assistance (A neutral, general term for help, often interchangeable with 'aid'.)
Antonyms
hindrance (Something that makes it harder to do something, the opposite of giving help.)
Collocations
humanitarian aid
|financial aid
|medical aid
|foreign aid
|emergency aid
Themes
daily life
|social issues
|humanitarian
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- The organization sent humanitarian aid to the disaster zone.
- She received financial aid to pay for her college tuition.
- Medical aid arrived quickly after the accident.
- Foreign aid can help developing countries improve infrastructure.
- The charity provides food aid to refugees.
Learner examples
- The group gave food aid to poor families.
- He got medical aid after the car crash.
- We sent money as aid to the village.
- They gave aid to people after the flood.
Verb
B1
action
2
to help or assist
To help someone do something or deal with a problem.
Usage pattern:
to aid [someone] in [doing something]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'aid' as a verb in casual speech where 'help' is more natural.
Synonyms
assist (Neutral and common; often interchangeable with 'aid', though 'assist' can sound slightly more formal in some contexts.)
Antonyms
obstruct (To block or make it harder to achieve something, opposite of helping.)
Collocations
aid recovery
|aid development
|aid digestion
|aid understanding
Themes
daily life
|work
|humanitarian
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- The nurse aided the patient in walking down the hall.
- These vitamins may aid your body in fighting infection.
- Volunteers aided in the search for the missing child.
- Technology can aid students in learning new skills.
Learner examples
- The teacher aided me in my homework.
- Good food aids the body in staying healthy.
- He aided the old man across the street.
- We aided the team with our advice.
Noun
B1
entity
3
helpful tool or device
A tool or thing that helps you do something.
Synonyms
appliance (A device designed for a specific function; 'aid' emphasizes its role in helping.)
Collocations
hearing aid
|visual aid
|mobility aid
Themes
daily life
|health
|technology
|daily_life
Examples
- He uses a hearing aid to improve his hearing.
- The teacher used visual aids during her presentation.
- Mobility aids can help elderly people move around safely.
Learner examples
- He has a hearing aid in his ear.
- The teacher showed pictures as visual aids.
- She uses a cane as a mobility aid.
Grammar
Dictionary form
aid
IPA
GB/ˈeɪd/
US/ˈeɪd/
Syllables & stress
aid (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (aid)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: aid
- Plural: aid, aids
Verb
- Base: aid
- 3rd Person Singular: aids
- Present Participle: aiding
- Past: aided
Word family
Forms
aids
noun
aiding
verb
aided
verb
Related words
aide
noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
unaided
adjective
Expressions
come to someone's aid
1/kˈʌm tə sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈeɪd/
fixed phrase
go and help someone in need
To go and help someone who needs help.
Examples
- Several passersby came to her aid after she fell.
- The police quickly came to the driver's aid.
in aid of
1/ˈɪn ˈeɪd əv/
fixed phrase
for the purpose of helping
Used to say that something is done to help a person, group, or cause.
Examples
- They are holding a concert in aid of cancer research.
- The event was organized in aid of local charities.
render aid
1/ɹˈɛndɚ ˈeɪd/
fixed phrase
formal
formally give help or assistance
To give help to someone, especially in a formal or official way.
Examples
- The soldiers rendered aid to the injured villagers.
- Doctors rendered aid during the crisis.