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Instrumental vs Help - What's the difference?

instrumental | help |

As nouns the difference between instrumental and help

is that instrumental is instrumental (grammatical case) while help is (uncountable) action given to provide assistance; aid.

As a verb help is

to provide assistance to (someone or something).

instrumental

English

(wikipedia instrumental)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Acting as an instrument; serving as a means; contributing to promote; conductive; helpful; serviceable; essential or central.
    • He was instrumental in conducting the business.
  • * (rfdate), (William Shakespeare), (Hamlet), I,ii
    • The head is not more native to the heart, The hand more instrumental to the mouth —
  • (music) Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for, an instrument, especially a musical instrument.
    • instrumental music
  • * (rfdate) (Thomas Babington Macaulay)
    • He defended the use of instrumental music in public worship.
  • * (rfdate) (John Dryden)
  • * Sweet voices mix'd with instrumental sounds.
  • (grammar) Applied to a case expressing means or agency, generally indicated in English by by'' or ''with with the objective.
    • the instrumental case

    Coordinate terms

    * (serving as a means) final * (music) vocal, a capella

    Antonyms

    * noninstrumental

    Derived terms

    * instrumental error * instrumentation * instrumentality * instrumentive

    Noun

  • (uncountable, grammar) The instrumental case.
  • (countable, music) A composition without lyrics.
  • * 1977 , Stereo Review (volume 38, page 70)
    • I recommend this album in the face of the fact that five of the eleven songs are the purest filler, dull instrumentals with a harmonica rifling over an indifferent rhythm section. The rest is magnificent

    External links

    * * ----

    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.
    Quotations
    (English Citations of "help")
    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

    Statistics

    * English control verbs English phrasebook 1000 English basic words ----