653
hem
Little Foxes, both of which have been made into films. She is
also remembered for refusing to name any one as a Commu-
nist in front of the HUAC
hel-lo /həˈləʊ, he-/ also hallo, hullo BrE — interj, n pl
-los 1 a) the word used when greeting someone:
Hello John! How are you? | I don't know her name but she
always says hello to me in the street. b) the word used for
starting a telephone conversation): Hello, is Mrs Brown
there? | Hello, who's speaking, please? 2 especially BrE (an
expression of surprise): Hello! Where's he gone? 3 a call for
attention to a distant person): Hello! Is anybody
there? 4 Hello, hello, hello, what's all this here? BrE a
phrase used by policemen in humorous stories and jokes
Hello! magazine a British magazine with pictures and articles
about famous people such as film and fashion MODELS
and members of the British ARISTOCRACY. It typically
describes how rich these people are and shows what beau-
tiful houses they live in.
hell's angel a member of a group whose members ride
badly behaved and sometimes illegally people who
wear black LEATHER and ride MOTORBIKES. Hell's Angels were
common in the 1960s and 70s, especially in the US.
hell-uv-a before so — a hell of a great deal of: It
makes a helluva difference.
helm /helm/ n 1 a) the TILLER or wheel which guides a ship
(especially in the phrase at the helm) b) the position from
which someone is in control: How long has the present direc-
tor been at the helm? 2 a helmet
hel-met /'helmɪt/ a strong cover to protect the head as
formerly worn by soldiers in armour, and now worn by
people who might hurt their heads in accidents or at work,
such as CYCLISTS, MOTORCYCLISTS, policemen, firemen, or
miners -> compare HARD HAT; see also CRASH HELMET
hel-met-ed helmeted so wearing a helmet
Helms, Jes-se /'helmz, 'dʒesi/ (1921-) a US Republican
politician and SENATOR from 1972 to 2003 who was known
for being strongly opposed to social changes
Helms-man /'helmzmən/ n pl -men /mən/ especially a
person who guides and steers a boat especially the HELM
of a boat
Hél-o-ïse /'elɔiiz/ (1101-64) the pupil, lover, and wife of
Peter ABELARD. The love between Héloïse and Abelard is
considered to be one of the most famous love stories in
history, and their love letters are well known.
help1 help v 1 [T] to make it easier for someone to
do something, by doing part of the work oneself; be of use to
(someone in doing something); ASSIST: Is there anything I
can do to help? | Can you help me with my homework? |
[--to--] The neighbours helped us to move the piano. |
[--doing] They helped me move it. | [+to--inf]
Let me help you in with those bags. (=Let me help you
bring them in.) | I helped her into her coat. | "Can I help you?"
(=May I show you anything?) said the shop assistant. 2 [T]
to encourage, improve, or produce favourable conditions for
(something): The fall in the oil price will help our economic
development. | Helped by favourable weather, the country
produced a record harvest. 3 [T] to make someone or
something feel better or less cold: This hot drink will help your
cold. 4 [I] to be useful or helpful: It can't be helped. |
can/can't/couldn't: He can't help his rather loud voice. | She
can't help it. | [--doing] It isn't my fault if all the trains are
cancelled. | He never does any more work than he can help.
(=He does as little as possible.) | [--ing] I couldn't help
laughing when I saw his haircut. | I can't help thinking that
we've made a big mistake. 5 [T] to serve (food) to oneself or
someone else: Help yourself to some of this cake. 6 to help
the police with their inquiries 7 it can't be helped
these things happen 8 so
help me/so help me God on my solemn promise: I swear to
tell the truth, so help me God. | I'll pay you back, so help me (I
will)! ---er n
Compare help, assist and aid. 1 Help and assist
often have the same meaning but assist is more formal
and always suggests that the person being assisted is
doing part of the work: I can't push the car on my
own—will someone help/assist (fml) me? If someone is in
difficulties you help (not assist) them: They helped
(=saved) the drowning man. | His job consists of helping
old people who live alone. Aid fml is like help but is not
so commonly used. 2 Help can be followed by a verb in
the infinitive form: He helped me (to) pass my exam (=I
passed). Assist and aid are not used in this way.
help (sbdy.) out phr v [I;T] to give help (to someone) at a
time of need: My mother helped me out (with some money)
when I lost my job. | The children help out in their father's
shop when things are busy.
help2 n 1 [U] the act of helping; AID; ASSISTANCE: Can I give
you any help? | Can I be of any help? | We got it open with the
help of a knife. | I couldn't have done it without your help. |
I'm afraid the patient is beyond help. (=can no longer be
helped) 2 [C] something or someone that helps: You've
been a great help. | I find this new machine quite a help. 3 [C]
BrE | helper AmE — a person, especially female, who is
employed to do some of someone else's housework: a home
help provided by the local authority | She has a help in twice a
week. 4 [U] especially AmE workers, especially house servants:
Good help is hard to find. 5 Help! Please bring help, I'm in
danger! 6 There's no help for it The damage has been done,
and nothing can now be done to improve the situation
help desk n a department of a company that people call for
help, especially with computer problems
help-ful /'helpfəl/ adj [(to, in)] providing help or willing to
help; useful: a helpful boy/map/suggestion | It was very
helpful of you to do that typing for me. ---fully adv ---ness n
[U]
help-ing /'helpɪŋ/ n [C] a serving of food, PORTION: I'd like a
second helping I'm still hungry. | large helpings
helping 'hand n give/lend someone a helping hand to
give help and support to someone who needs it
help-less /'helpləs/ adj unable to look after oneself or take
action to help oneself: a helpless child | Without proper
defences, we'd be helpless against an enemy attack/helpless to
prevent an enemy attack. ---ly adv ---ness n [U]
help-line /'helplaɪn/ n a telephone number you can ring if
you need the special advice or information offered, for
example on personal problems or financial matters -> com-
pare CRISIS LINE
help-mate /'helpmeɪt/ also help-meet /-mi:t/ n especially bibl
a helpful partner, usually a wife
Help the Aged a British CHARITY organization which
collects money for old people and provides them with help
and advice
Hel-sin-ki /hel'sɪŋki/ the capital of Finland
Helsinki Accords, the also the Helsinki
Agreement signed in 1975 by every European country except Albania,
and also by the US and Canada.
hel-ter-skel-ter1 /ˌheltə 'skeltə , heltɚ-/ n especially BrE an
amusement in a FAIRGROUND where one sits down and slides
from the top of a tower to the bottom, moving round and
round it
helter-skelter2 adv, adj [done] in a great and disorderly
hurry: She ran helter-skelter down the stairs.
helve /helv/ n the handle of an AXE or a similar tool
hem1 hem n the edge of a piece of cloth that is turned
under and sewn down, especially the lower edge of a skirt or
dress: The dress was too long, so I took the hem up. (=made it
shorter)
hem2 v -mm- 1 [T] to turn up in order to shorten: Could you hem my trousers?
hem sbdy. <-> in phr v [T] to surround tightly so that