Search

to provide support for or relief to; help:
to aid the homeless victims of the fire.
to promote the progress or accomplishment of; facilitate.
to give help or assistance.
help or support; assistance.
a person or thing that aids or furnishes assistance; helper; auxiliary.
aids, Manège.

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.
Also called artificial aids. the devices by means of which a rider increases control of a horse, as spurs, whip, and martingale.

.
.
a payment made by feudal vassals to their lord on special occasions.
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.
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.
American Institute of Decorators.
American Institute of Interior Designers.
Also, A.I.D. British. artificial insemination donor.
Contemporary Examples

The North Koreans are usually willing to talk for various reasons: to get aid, to divide their adversaries, to create confusion.
Should Obama Take North Korea’s Bait? Gordon G. Chang October 20, 2014

Administration officials also acknowledged that they will need congressional support to implement their aid plan for Egypt.
Obama’s Partial Aid Suspension Unlikely to Influence Egypt Josh Rogin October 8, 2013

American aid should be directly conditioned on Egypt’s respect for freedom of expression.
Egypt’s Internet Crackdown David Keyes January 24, 2010

Despite the aid that Saraswati seems to have received from his devotees, Barsana Dham is distancing itself from his legacy.
The Fugitive Guru Ben Crair June 20, 2011

“You have to pick something risky and not likely to be taken up by aid budgets,” he said of private foundations.
Bill Gates Talks Toilets, Polio Efforts at CGI Nina Strochlic September 24, 2013

Historical Examples

Was it possible for her to love a lad who could not, and did not aid her?
Tess of the Storm Country Grace Miller White

This operation is performed by a female, with the aid of a stamp.
The Story of the Invention of Steel Pens Henry Bore

Holfax, do you think you could get some friendly natives to aid us?
The Young Treasure Hunter Frank V. Webster

This operation is performed by the aid of a punch and die fitted into a screw-press.
The Story of the Invention of Steel Pens Henry Bore

Remove the cover-slip from the cell by the aid of the forceps.
The Elements of Bacteriological Technique John William Henry Eyre

verb
to give support to (someone to do something); help or assist
(transitive) to assist financially
noun
assistance; help; support
a person, device, etc, that helps or assists: a teaching aid
(mountaineering) Also artificial aid. any of various devices such as piton or nut when used as a direct help in the ascent
(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
(Brit, informal) in aid of, in support of; for the purpose of
combining form
denoting a charitable organization or function that raises money for a cause: Band Aid, Ferryaid
abbreviation
acute infectious disease
artificial insemination (by) donor: former name for Donor Insemination (DI)
n.

early 15c., “wartime tax,” also “help, support, assistance,” from Old French aide, earlier aiudha “aid, help, assistance” (9c.), from Late Latin adjuta, from fem. past participle of Latin adiuvare (past participle adiutus) “to give help to,” from ad- “to” (see ad-) + iuvare “to help” (see adjutant). Meaning “thing by which assistance is given” is recorded from c.1600. Meaning “material help given by one country to another” is from 1940.
v.

c.1400, “to assist, help,” from Old French aidier “help, assistance,” from Latin adiutare, frequentative of adiuvare (past participle adiutus) “give help to” (see adjutant). Related: Aided; aiding.

AID abbr.
artificial insemination donor

Algebraic Interpretive Dialogue
Agency for International Development