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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.

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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.
Contemporary Examples

Playwright Lillian Hellman was known for a sharp tongue that may have aided her success.
When Gossip Is Good, from Scandals to Relationships Allison Yarrow November 21, 2011

Like Conyers, Duggan had been the frontrunner all along and was aided by a huge financial advantage.
This 50-Year Congressman Can’t Find the Ballot Ben Jacobs May 9, 2014

CSI not only aided a not-guilty verdict, but netted Dr. Phil an admirer.
It’s Time to Turn Off TV Doctors April Siese June 22, 2014

James Carroll on how the Catholic Church aided and abetted the offenders.
The Vatican’s Sex Cover-up James Carroll March 10, 2010

He is aided in this effort by being able to draw from a diary Chiang kept that has only recently become available to historians.
China’s Forgotten Traumas in World War Two Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom September 17, 2013

Historical Examples

Mr. Stone aided in the establishment of several manufactories at this point.
Cleveland Past and Present Maurice Joblin

We are aided by all who desire self-government and a voice in deciding their own affairs.
United States Presidents’ Inaugural Speeches Various

The old nurse, Nonna, aided the Majordomo, and these two faithful souls confided their anxiety to one another.
Complete Short Works Georg Ebers

They followed the gas, and were aided in their advance by artillery fire.
The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of VIII) Various

As soon as possible we formed a party and went to search for her, aided by the police; but she has vanished.
Sue, A Little Heroine L. T. Meade

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
Agency for International Development