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Look vs Help - What's the difference?

look | help |

In transitive terms the difference between look and help

is that look is to express or manifest by a look while help is to avoid; to prevent; to refrain from; to restrain (oneself). Usually used in nonassertive contexts with can.

As verbs the difference between look and help

is that look is to try to see, to pay attention to with one’s eyes while help is to provide assistance to (someone or something).

As nouns the difference between look and help

is that look is the action of looking, an attempt to see while help is action given to provide assistance; aid.

As a proper noun Look

is {{surname|from=given names}.

look

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To try to see, to pay attention to with one’s eyes.
  • :
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady.
  • *, chapter=10
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.}}
  • To appear, to seem.
  • :
  • *170? , (Joseph Addison), Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. , Dedication
  • *:but should I publish any favours done me by your Lordship, I am afraid it would look more like vanity than gratitude.
  • *
  • *:So this was my future home, I thought!Backed by towering hills, the but faintly discernible purple line of the French boundary off to the southwest, a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=2 citation , passage=Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety.  She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.}}
  • *2012 , Chelsea 6-0 Wolves
  • *:Chelsea's youngsters, who looked lively throughout, then combined for the second goal in the seventh minute. Romeu's shot was saved by Wolves goalkeeper Dorus De Vries but Piazon kept the ball alive and turned it back for an unmarked Bertrand to blast home.
  • (lb) To give an appearance of being.
  • :
  • To search for, to try to find.
  • To face or present a view.
  • :
  • *Bible, (w) xi. 1
  • *:the east gatewhich looketh eastward
  • To expect or anticipate.
  • :
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:looking each hour into death's mouth to fall
  • (lb) To express or manifest by a look.
  • *(Lord Byron) (1788-1824)
  • *:Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again.
  • *
  • To make sure of, to see to.
  • *1898 , (Homer), (Samuel Butler) (translator),
  • *:"Look to it yourself, father," answered Telemachus, "for they say you are the wisest counsellor in the world, and that there is no other mortal man who can compare with you.
  • To show oneself in looking.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:My toes look through the overleather.
  • To look at; to turn the eyes toward.
  • *
  • *:Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes..
  • To seek; to search for.
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:Looking my love, I go from place to place.
  • To expect.
  • :(Shakespeare)
  • To influence, overawe, or subdue by looks or presence.
  • :
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:A spirit fit to start into an empire, / And look the world to law.
  • (senseid)(lb) To look at a pitch as a batter without swinging at it.
  • :
  • :
  • :
  • Hyponyms

    * stare * gaze

    Derived terms

    * look about * look after * look around * look at * look away * look back * look down on * look down upon * look for * look forward * look forward to * look in on * look into * look on * look out * look out for * look over * look through * look to * look up * look up to * look upon * forelook * lookalike, look-alike * look alive * lookee * looker * lookit * look lively * lookout, look-out * look-see * look before you leap * look down one's nose * look daggers at * look here * look oneself * look sharp * look somebody in the eye * look the other way * look what the cat's brought in * mislook * onlooker * overlook * relook * underlook

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The action of looking, an attempt to see.
  • (label) Physical appearance, visual impression.
  • *
  • A facial expression.
  • Derived terms

    * have a look * if looks could kill * lookist * outlook * relook

    Statistics

    *

    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