assist English · revision 5310

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1426|origins=la sistere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈsɪst/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|assisten]], [[bor|frm|assister|t=to stand by, help]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|assistere|t=to stand by, take a stand near, attend]], from [[m|la|ad-|t=to]] and [[m|la|sistere|t=to take a stand, cause to stand]], related to stāre “to stand”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) It is related to [[stand]], [[consist]], [[insist]] and [[resist]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To help or give support: 1426 in Barnhart, in the Proceedings of the Privy Council, the early 15th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th century it also meant to stand near or attend someone,^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) and in 1626 it took on the sense “to be present” at a ceremony or entertainment, after French assister à, now archaic.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023) The noun, an act of help, is from 1597, the 1570s in Etymonline,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and is now chiefly American.^(SOED 2002) In sport an assist is a player's help in putting out an opponent or scoring: in baseball from 1877, and in ice hockey from 1925.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1426 – to help.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1597 – noun, an act of help.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1626 – to be present at.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1877 – in baseball.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1925 – in ice hockey.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To help someone or something; to [[aid]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To work as an [[assistant]] to someone.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(archaic)'' To be present at an event.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chiefly US)'' An act of help.^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(sports)'' An action, such as a pass, that helps a teammate to score or to put out an opponent.^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[assister]]

+ * [[assistive]]

+ * [[unassisted]]

+ * [[overassist]]

+ * [[power assist]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[assistant]]

+ * [[assistance]]

+ * [[consist]]

+ * [[insist]]

+ * [[resist]]

+ * [[persist]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}