Help Out

PamQueueBut are they really the same?

Hi,

Yes, I suppose.

(He helped his friends out in the kitchen.)

Regards

Then, "out" in "help out" is redundant, since "help" contains all the meanings of "help out"

PamQueueMost dictionaries suggest "help" = "help out"

Some uses of 'help' mean the same as 'help out'; not all. The 'out' is used when there is a metaphoric meaning of someone helping someone else to get out of a difficulty. There is the sense of contributing to an effort. You can't always use 'out'.

This explanation helps me to understan

PamQueueThen, "out" in "help out" is redundant, since "help" contains all the meanings of "help out"

Hi,

No, it's not redundant, and I didn't say that.

They do have very similar meanings, yet they may be used in different contexts.

Regards

CalifJim The 'out' is used when there is a metaphoric meaning of someone helping someone else to get out of a difficulty. There is the sense of contributing to an effort.

Then

"He HELPED his friends in the kitchen."

implies he CASUALLY did some favors for his friends in the kitchen, and


"He HELPED OUT his friends in the kitc

Hi,

Not really. They don't necessarily have to be in such a difficult situation, so that you can say

he helped them out. In your context they mean about the same, I believe, and therefore

I had said they are very similar in meaning. People informally say that all the time, not only

in a situation where they are at death's door.

Regards

PamQueueThen

"He HELPED his friends in the kitchen."

implies he CASUALLY did some favors for his friends in the kitchen, and

"He HELPED OUT his friends in the kitchen."

implies his friends were in some major difficulty in the kitchen?

No. help and help out mean the same in this case - a case of contributi