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Rescue vs Help - What's the difference?

rescue | help |

As verbs the difference between rescue and help

is that rescue is to save from any violence, danger or evil while help is to provide assistance to (someone or something).

As nouns the difference between rescue and help

is that rescue is an act or episode of rescuing, saving while help is action given to provide assistance; aid.

As a proper noun Rescue

is a city in California (zip code 95672.

rescue

English

Verb

(rescu) (transitive)
  • To save from any violence, danger or evil.
  • ''The well-trained team rescued everyone after the avalanche
  • To free or liberate from confinement or other physical restraint.
  • to rescue a prisoner from the enemy
  • To recover forcibly
  • To deliver by arms, notably from a siege
  • (figuratively) To remove or withdraw from a state of exposure to evil and sin.
  • Traditionally missionaries aim to rescue many ignorant heathen souls.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=September 13 , author=Sam Lyon , title=Borussia Dortmund 1 - 1 Arsenal , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Arsenal's hopes of starting their Champions League campaign with an away win were dashed when substitute Ivan Perisic's superb late volley rescued a point for Borussia Dortmund.}}

    Synonyms

    * free, deliver, pull out of the fire, save the day * (to free from confinement) liberate, release * (to free from restraint) release, unshackle, untie * (to recover forcibly) recapture, retake * (to deliver by arms) liberate * (to rescue from evil or sin) redeem, save

    Antonyms

    * (all senses) abandon, ignore * endanger, imperil * (to free from confinement) enslave, incarcerate * (to free from restraint) bind, constrict, hamper, inhibit, obstruct, preclude * (to recover forcibly) kidnap * (to deliver by arms) arrest, capture * (to rescue from evil or sin) corrupt, deprave

    Derived terms

    * rescuee * rescuer

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act or episode of rescuing, saving.
  • A liberation, freeing.
  • The forcible ending of a siege; liberation from similar military peril
  • ''The rescue of Jerusalem was the original motive of the Crusaders
  • A special airliner flight to bring home passengers who are stranded
  • A rescuee.
  • The dog proved a rescue with some behavior issues.

    Usage notes

    * Often used attributively as an adjective, e.g. "rescue equipment".

    Derived terms

    * come to someone's rescue * rescue dog * rescue mission

    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