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Beta vs Help - What's the difference?

beta | help |

As nouns the difference between beta and help

is that beta is beta (the name of the second letter of the greek alphabet ( )) while help is (uncountable) action given to provide assistance; aid.

As a verb help is

to provide assistance to (someone or something).

beta

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Identifying a molecular position in an organic chemical compound.
  • Designates the second in an order of precedence.
  • (computing) Preliminary; prerelease. Refers to an incomplete version of a product released for initial testing.
  • associated with the beta male/female archetype.
  • Derived terms

    * * * alphabet * * beta blocker * beta coefficient * beta decay * beta emitter * betalike * beta particle * beta ray * beta reader * beta version * Betamax * betatron

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The name of the second letter of the Greek alphabet ( sound of '''v found in the English words ''have'' and ''vase .
  • Used in marking scheme: ?, ?, ? or ?+, ?, ?-, ? etc.
  • (finance) Average sensitivity of a security's price to overall securities market prices.
  • (computing) The phase of development after alpha testing and before launch, in which software, while not complete, has been released to potential users for testing.
  • (computing) A computer program in such a phase; a preliminary version.
  • * 2007 , Michael Lopp, Managing Humans (page 107)
  • He quickly deduced our goal—ship a quality beta —but he also quickly discerned that we had no idea about the quality of the product because of our pile of untriaged bugs.
  • (climbing) Information about a route which may aid someone in climbing it.
  • (physics) A beta particle or beta ray.
  • A beta fish, of the genus Betta .
  • A beta male.
  • * 2006 , Catherine Mann, Blaze of Glory , Harlequin (2006), ISBN 9781459228252, unnumbered page:
  • “I guess in your psychological language of alpha males and beta males, I would be firmly in the camp that prefers the more laid-back betas ,” she took a deep breath, “like your father.”
  • * 2010 , L. A. Banks, "Dog Tired (of the Drama!)", in Blood Lite II: Overbite (ed. Kevin J. Anderson), Gallery Books (2010), ISBN 9781439187654, page 121:
  • “They want sexy, virile alpha males, yes? But that doesn't come with sensitive and loyal and all of that. That's a beta . A frickin' collie, Lola.
  • * 2010 , Terry Spear, Wolf Fever , Sourcebooks Casablanca (2010), ISBN 9781402237577, page 24:
  • She'd always had a thing for alpha males. Not that she had any intention of being bossed around, even if one had her best interests at heart. Her fascination with alphas was that they were a challenge. Betas didn't hold much of an appeal.

    Derived terms

    * betavoltaic * betavoltaics

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (computing) To preliminarily release computer software for initial testing prior to final release.
  • (chiefly, Internet) To beta-read a text.
  • * 1999, sqira a., in alt.tv.x-files.creative [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.x-files.creative/msg/29d32d27e61755f2?dmode=source]
  • My thanks to Heather; who read it and betaed it. Thank you.
  • * 2000 , Elizabeth Durack, quoted in Angelina I. Karpovich, “The Audience as Editor: The Role of Beta Readers in Online Fan Fiction Communities” (essay), in Karen Hellekson and Kristina Busse (editors), Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet , McFarland (2006), ISBN 9780786426409, page 180,
  • Beta’ing is time-consuming, so asking a lot of people to give you a detailed analysis isn’t the most polite thing to do.
  • * 2002, Jane Davitt, in alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer.creative [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer.creative/msg/9301606b391212c0?dmode=source]
  • The next part is written and beta'd (thanks, Jen!), ready to go but <shuffles feet> I haven't even started what should be the final part yet.
  • * 2002, Karmen Ghia, in alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated/msg/8405f53e8acbb0c1?dmode=source]
  • I had the honor of betaing this story and as I was doing the first read through I had the odd, but lovely, experience when a story suspends the reader in its own rhythm and flow, its own reality.

    Anagrams

    * * * ----

    help

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (uncountable) Action given to provide assistance; aid.
  • I need some help with my homework.
  • (usually, uncountable) Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.
  • He was a great help to me when I was moving house.
    I've printed out a list of math helps .
  • Documentation provided with computer software, etc. and accessed using the computer.
  • I can't find anything in the help about rotating an image.
  • (usually, uncountable) One or more people employed to help in the maintenance of a house or the operation of a farm or enterprise.
  • The help is coming round this morning to clean.
    Most of the hired help is seasonal, for the harvest.
  • (uncountable, euphemistic) Correction of deficits, as by psychological counseling or medication or social support or remedial training.
  • His suicide attempts were a cry for help .
    He really needs help in handling customer complaints.
    ''"He's a real road-rager." / "Yup, he really needs help , maybe anger management."
    Usage notes
    The sense "people employed to help in the maintenance of a house" is usually an uncountable mass noun. A countable form - "a hired help''", "''two hired helps " - is attested, but now less common.
    Synonyms
    * (action given to provide assistance) aid, assistance * (person or persons who provide assistance) * (person employed to help in the maintenance of a house)
    Derived terms
    * cry for help * help desk * helpful * helpless * helpline * helply * helpmate * helpmeet * helpsome * home help * self-help

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) helpen, from (etyl) . Cognate with (etyl) .

    Verb

  • To provide assistance to (someone or something).
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=76, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Snakes and ladders , passage=Risk is everywhere.
  • To contribute in some way to.
  • To provide assistance.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=19 citation , passage=As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help , and he stripped off his tunic at once.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=72-3, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= A punch in the gut , passage=Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.}}
  • To avoid; to prevent; to refrain from; to restrain (oneself). Usually used in nonassertive contexts with can .
  • Usage notes
    * Use 3 is often used in the imperative mood as a call for assistance. * In uses 1, 2 and 3, this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . It can also take the bare infinitive with no change in meaning. * In use 4, can't help is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing) or, with but, the bare infinitive. * For more information, see
    Synonyms
    * (provide assistance to) aid, assist, come to the aid of, help out * (contribute in some way to) contribute to * (provide assistance) assist
    Derived terms
    * a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down * can't help * helper * helping * help oneself * help out