helpless

helpless
helpless "unable to act for oneself," c.1200, from HELP (Cf. help) (n.) + -LESS (Cf. -less). Related: Helplessly; helplessness. In Middle English and later sometimes also "unable to give help, affording no help" (late 14c.), but this was never common.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Helpless — Help less, a. 1. Destitute of help or strength; unable to help or defend one s self; needing help; feeble; weak; as, a helpless infant. [1913 Webster] How shall I then your helpless fame defend? Pope. [1913 Webster] 2. Beyond help; irremediable.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Helpless — may refer to:*Helplessness * Helpless (play), a play by Dusty Hughes * Helpless (song), a Neil Young song, most famously recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young * Helpless (1996 film), a film by Shinji Aoyama *Helpless (Buffy episode), an… …   Wikipedia

  • Helpless — Episodio de Buffy the Vampire Slayer Título Indefensa (España Latinoamérica) Identificador 3ABB012 Episodio nº 12 Temporada …   Wikipedia Español

  • helpless — I (Defenseless) adjective abandoned aidless, conquerable, deserted, exposed, expugnable, forsaken, friendless, guardless, in danger, inermis, inops, open to attack, pregnable, resourceless, shelterless, unaided, unarmed, unarmored, unbefriended,… …   Law dictionary

  • helpless — [adj] incapable, incompetent; vulnerable abandoned, basket case*, debilitated, defenseless, dependent, destitute, disabled, exposed, feeble, forlorn, forsaken, friendless, handcuffed, impotent, inefficient, inexpert, infirm, invalid, over a… …   New thesaurus

  • helpless — ► ADJECTIVE 1) unable to defend oneself or to act without help. 2) uncontrollable. DERIVATIVES helplessly adverb helplessness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • helpless — [help′lis] adj. 1. not able to help oneself; weak 2. lacking help or protection 3. incompetent, ineffective, or powerless helplessly adv. helplessness n …   English World dictionary

  • helpless — adj. VERBS ▪ appear, be, feel, lie, look, seem, stand, watch ▪ John felt completely helpless …   Collocations dictionary

  • helpless — help|less [ˈhelpləs] adj 1.) unable to look after yourself or to do anything to help yourself ▪ He began to feel depressed and helpless. ▪ a vicious attack on a helpless victim ▪ Newman threw out a hand in a helpless gesture. 2.) unable to… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • helpless — help|less [ helpləs ] adjective * not able to do anything without help: He looked helpless sitting there all alone. be/feel helpless to do something: I knew they were lying but I felt helpless to do anything about it. a. helpless laughter, tears …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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