HELPING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does helping mean? 

• HELPING (noun)
  The noun HELPING has 1 sense:

1. an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

  Familiarity information: HELPING used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HELPING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

helping; portion; serving

Context example:

there's enough for two servings each

Hypernyms ("helping" is a kind of...):

small indefinite amount; small indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude)

Meronyms (parts of "helping"):

mouthful; taste (a small amount eaten or drunk)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "helping"):

drumstick (the lower joint of the leg of a fowl)

second joint; thigh (the upper joint of the leg of a fowl)

breast; white meat (meat carved from the breast of a fowl)

wing (the wing of a fowl)

medallion (a circular helping of food (especially a boneless cut of meat))

oyster (a small muscle on each side of the back of a fowl)

parson's nose; pope's nose (the tail of a dressed fowl)

piece; slice (a serving that has been cut from a larger portion)

round; round of drinks (a serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic))

drink (a single serving of a beverage)

libation (a serving (of wine) poured out in honor of a deity)

Holonyms ("helping" is a part of...):

meal; repast (the food served and eaten at one time)

Derivation:

help (help to some food; help with food or drink)

 Context examples 

I have made the effort, and God, helping me, have come safely back to this room.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

In this study, the researchers found that interleukin-27 (IL-27), a protein that controls the activity of immune cells, may shift the role of neutrophils from harming the brain to helping with recovery.

(Immune cells may heal bleeding brain after strokes, National Institutes of Health)

NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, is helping to untangle the mystery.

(Pulse of a Dead Star Powers Intense Gamma Rays, NASA)

As well as helping to destroy cancer, the approach could also offer patients "long-term protection by instating cancer specific immune surveillance", the scientists wrote.

(Molecule in Immune System Able to Trigger 'Suicide' of Cancerous Tumors, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

They are of increasing interest to scientists for the diverse and often beneficial roles they play, including helping digest food, extract nutrients, regulate metabolism, and protect against disease and infection, among others.

(Whole Grains Deliver on Health Benefits, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Three men with clubs were helping him to scatter them.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

“Martha,” said I then, leaning down, and helping her to rise—she seemed to want to rise as if with the intention of going away, but she was weak, and leaned against a boat.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

You are usually directed outward toward helping others all the time, so it is exciting to see how the universe is saying that it’s time Virgo had a rich emotional life.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The moonlets, if they exist, may be acting as "shepherd" moons, helping to keep the rings from spreading out.

(Uranus May Have Two Undiscovered Moons, NASA)

Hobbling about on it from morning till night was not helping it any.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)