noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈsʌkə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:sŭkər
General-American:/ˈsʌkɚ/
rhymes with -ʌkə(ɹ)
homophone: sucker
1
noun
Meaning 1
Aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress; ministration.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Aid or assistance in the form of military equipment and soldiers, especially reinforcements sent to support military action.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Protection, refuge, shelter; (countable) a place providing such protection, refuge or shelter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Qualifier: obsolete except dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To give aid, assistance, or help.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: abet, aid, assist, befriend, bestead, come to someone's aid, give someone a hand, grip, help, help out, lend a hand, lend a helping hand, mend, stead, succor, succour, support, sustain, relieve
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: succor
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: help, assist, aid
History
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English socour, interpreted as the singular form of socours (“help; encouragement; remedy; protection; helper, protector”), which is from Anglo-Norman socurs, sucurs and Old French secors, secours (modern French secours), from Medieval Latin succursus (participle), from Latin succurrēre (“to run to the help of”), from Latin sub- (“from below”) + Latin currere (“run”). The verb is derived from Middle English socouren (“to help”), from Anglo-Norman socure (compare modern French secourir), also from Latin succurrēre.
Across languages
Translations
66 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
навременна помощ
(navremenna pomošt)
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Catalan:
socors
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Chinese Mandarin:
帮助
(bāngzhù)
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Dutch:
assistentie
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Dutch:
bijstand
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
French:
secours
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
German:
Beistand
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
German:
Hilfe
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
German:
Unterstützung
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Ancient Greek:
ἀρωγή
(arōgḗ)
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Hungarian:
segély
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Hungarian:
támogatás
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Hungarian:
segedelem
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Ido:
sokurso
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Indonesian:
bantu
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Irish:
fóir
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Irish:
fóirithint
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Italian:
soccorso
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Malay:
bantu
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Norwegian Bokmål:
bistand
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Norwegian Bokmål:
understøttelse
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Norwegian Bokmål:
hjelp
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Polish:
sukurs
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Portuguese:
socorro
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Portuguese:
ajuda
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Portuguese:
assistência
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Romanian:
ajutor
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Romanian:
sprijin
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Russian:
по́мощь
(pómoščʹ)
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Russian:
подде́ржка
(poddéržka)
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Spanish:
socorro
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Turkish:
imdat
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Turkish:
yardım
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Ottoman Turkish:
یاردم
(yardım)
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Ottoman Turkish:
امداد
(imdad)
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Welsh:
ymgelez
— aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress
Bulgarian:
подкрепление
(podkreplenie)
— aid or assistance in the form of military equipment and soldiers
Hungarian:
segedelem
— aid or assistance in the form of military equipment and soldiers
Irish:
fóirithint
— aid or assistance in the form of military equipment and soldiers
Norwegian Bokmål:
unnsetning
— aid or assistance in the form of military equipment and soldiers
Norwegian Bokmål:
hjelpetropper
— aid or assistance in the form of military equipment and soldiers
Catalan:
socórrer
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Cornish:
sokra
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Dutch:
bijstand verlenen
— to give aid, assistance, or help
French:
secourir
— to give aid, assistance, or help
German:
beistehen
— to give aid, assistance, or help
German:
unterstützen
— to give aid, assistance, or help
German:
zu Hilfe kommen
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Greek:
αρωγή
(arogí)
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Ancient Greek:
ἀρήγω
(arḗgō)
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Hungarian:
segít
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Hungarian:
kisegít
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Hungarian:
átsegít
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Hungarian:
megsegít
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Hungarian:
támogat
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Ido:
sokursar
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Irish:
fóir ar
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Portuguese:
socorrer
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Romanian:
sprijini
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Romanian:
ajuta
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Russian:
утеша́ть
(utešátʹ)
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Russian:
подде́рживать
(poddérživatʹ)
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Spanish:
socorrer
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Turkish:
imdadına yetişmek
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Turkish:
yardıma gelmek
— to give aid, assistance, or help
Turkish:
yardıma koşmak
— to give aid, assistance, or help
