cannot help something

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• cannot help — he could not help laughing: BE UNABLE TO STOP, be unable to refrain from, be unable to keep from. → help * * * cannot help ● help * * * cannot help 1 ◇ If you cannot help yourself, you cannot control your actions or stop yourself from doing… …   Useful english dictionary

• cannot (help) but — formal phrase to have no choice except to do something You cannot help but like her. As I look back over my career, I cannot but smile. Thesaurus: choices and the process of choosingsynonym Main entry …   Useful english dictionary

• cannot help oneself — Cannot refrain from or resist doing something • • • Main Entry: ↑help …   Useful english dictionary

• help — [help] vt. [ME helpen < OE helpan, akin to Ger helfen < IE base * k̑elb , *k̑elp , to help > early Lith sělbinos, to aid] 1. to make things easier or better for (a person); aid; assist; specif., a) to give (one in need or trouble)… …   English World dictionary

• help — verb. Help is one of the oldest words in English, going back to the time of King Alfred (9c). It has two principal meanings in current English: ‘to assist’ (Can I help you?) and ‘to prevent’ (I can t help it). The connection between these two… …   Modern English usage

• help — I UK [help] / US verb Word forms help : present tense I/you/we/they help he/she/it helps present participle helping past tense helped past participle helped *** Get it right: help: The verb help is not used with the ing form of another verb. It… …   English dictionary

• help — help1 [ help ] verb *** 1. ) intransitive or transitive to give someone support or information so that they can do something more easily: If you are finding that difficult I could help you. Mary was anxious to help. help someone (to) do something …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

• help — 1 /help/ verb 1 MAKE POSSIBLE OR EASIER (I, T) to make it possible or easier for someone to do something by doing part of their work or by giving them something they need: If there s anything I can do to help, just give me a call. | She devoted… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

• help — [[t]hɛlp[/t]] v. t. 1) to save; rescue; succor: Help me, I m falling![/ex] 2) to contribute to; facilitate or promote: to help desegregation[/ex] 3) to be useful or profitable to: Your knowledge of languages will help you in your career[/ex] 4)… …   From formal English to slang

• help — helpable, adj. /help/, v.t. 1. to give or provide what is necessary to accomplish a task or satisfy a need; contribute strength or means to; render assistance to; cooperate effectively with; aid; assist: He planned to help me with my work. Let me …   Universalium