behelp

English

Etymology

From be- +‎ help. Cognate with Scots behelpe (“to assist”), West Frisian beholpje, Dutch behelpen (“to make do”), German behelfen (“to manage”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɪˈhɛlp/
• Rhymes: -ɛlp

Verb

behelp (third-person singular simple present behelps, present participle behelping, simple past behelped or (archaic, dialectal) beholp, past participle behelped or (archaic, dialectal) beholpen)

1. (transitive, archaic) To help (with); give aid or assistance to.
   • 1713, The records of the Swedish Lutheran churches at Raccoon and Penns Neck:

     But we live in a good hope of better times and then, hopefully, will this dessign be excuted; Meanwhile I must behelp myself with this boock, so, as I have found it, and so as it is.

   • 1933, Hugo von Waldeyer-Hartz, Admiral von Hipper:

     It is said of one of them that at an audience with the Queen of England he was asked whether he was married and, his knowledge of the English language being defective, replied: "No, Your Majesty, behelp me so!

   • 1961, John Reeves, A beach of strangers: an excursion:

     Filthiness is in their skirts (Lamentations I) and woe behelp them at the second coming. Alleluia.