Help vs Clue - What's the difference?
help | clue | Related terms |
(uncountable) Action given to provide assistance; aid.
(usually, uncountable) Something or someone which provides assistance with a task.
Documentation provided with computer software, etc. and accessed using the computer.
(usually, uncountable) One or more people employed to help in the maintenance of a house or the operation of a farm or enterprise.
(uncountable, euphemistic) Correction of deficits, as by psychological counseling or medication or social support or remedial training.
To provide assistance to (someone or something).
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=76, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= To contribute in some way to.
To provide assistance.
* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
, chapter=19 * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=72-3, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= To avoid; to prevent; to refrain from; to restrain (oneself). Usually used in nonassertive contexts with can .
A strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.
* 1897 , Henry James, What Maisie Knew :
Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence.
(slang) Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)
To provide with a clue.
To provide someone with information which he or she lacks (often used with "in" or "up").
Help is a related term of clue.
As nouns the difference between help and clue
is that help is (uncountable) action given to provide assistance; aid while clue is a strand of yarn etc as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.As verbs the difference between help and clue
is that help is to provide assistance to (someone or something) while clue is to provide with a clue.help
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl), from (etyl) .Noun
(en-noun)- I need some help with my homework.
- He was a great help to me when I was moving house.
- I've printed out a list of math helps .
- I can't find anything in the help about rotating an image.
- The help is coming round this morning to clean.
- Most of the hired help is seasonal, for the harvest.
- 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-helpEtymology 2
From (etyl) helpen, from (etyl) . Cognate with (etyl) .Verb
Snakes and ladders, passage=Risk is everywhere.
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.}}
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.}}
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, seeSynonyms
* (provide assistance to) aid, assist, come to the aid of, help out * (contribute in some way to) contribute to * (provide assistance) assistDerived terms
* a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down * can't help * helper * helping * help oneself * help outclue
English
Noun
(en noun)- she had even had in the past a small smug conviction that in the domestic labyrinth she always kept the clue .
Synonyms
* (information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion) hint, indication, suggestion * (object or indication which may be used as evidence) signatureDerived terms
* * clueless * cluestick / clue stick * cluey * have a clue * not have a clueSee also
* evidence * red herringVerb
- The crossword compiler wasn't sure how to clue the word "should".
- Smith, clue Jones in on what's been happening.