Definition of aid noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

aid

noun

/eɪd/

Idioms

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[uncountable] money, food, etc. that is sent to help countries in difficult situations
- humanitarian/food/medical aid
- An extra £10 million in foreign aid has been provided for victims of the earthquake.
- international aid workers
Collocations International relations
International relationsTrade
- facilitate/regulate trade (with other countries)
- form/join a trading bloc
- live in/compete in a global/the world economy
- support/promote free trade
- adopt/call for/oppose protectionist measures
- erect/impose/reduce/remove trade barriers
- impose/lift/raise/eliminate import tariffs (on something)
- have/run a huge/large/growing trade surplus/deficit
- embrace/resist/drive globalization
Politics and law
- conduct/handle/talk about/discuss foreign policy
- pursue an aggressive/a hawkish foreign policy
- require/use/conduct diplomacy
- establish/break off/sever/restore diplomatic relations
- foster/promote/strengthen regional cooperation
- facilitate/achieve economic/political integration
- exercise/defend/protect/transfer/restore/regain national/state/full/limited sovereignty
- consolidate/extend/lose/retain your power (in the region)
- hold/maintain/change/alter/shift/be a shift in the balance of power (in the region)
- cause/create/open/expose/heal/repair a deep/growing/major/serious rift between X and Y
Meetings and agreements
- have/hold/host/attend an international conference/an economic forum/a summit meeting
- launch a new round of global/multilateral/world trade negotiations
- send/head/lead/meet a high-level/an official/a trade delegation
- begin/start/continue/resume peace talks
- be committed to/be opposed to/disrupt/undermine/derail/sabotage the peace process
- negotiate/achieve a lasting political settlement
- broker/sign a peace deal/agreement/treaty
Conflict
- be/constitute/pose a threat to global security
- compromise/endanger/protect national security
- justify/be in favour of/ (US English) be in favor of/be against military intervention
- threaten/authorize/launch/take/support/oppose unilateral/pre-emptive military action
- impose/enforce/lift/end economic sanctions/an arms embargo/a naval blockade
- close/protect/secure/patrol the border
- lead/be involved in a peacekeeping operation
Aid
- negotiate/announce a $15 billion aid package/an economic stimulus package
- send/provide/request/cut off military aid
- bring/provide emergency/humanitarian relief
- deliver/distribute medical supplies/(British English) food parcels/(North American English)food packages
- fund/run a foreign/a local/an international NGO
- reduce/eradicate child/global/world poverty
see also Christian Aid, federal aid, financial aid, gift aid, grant aid, grant-in-aid, legal aid, Live Aid, mutual aid
Culture aidaidMost aid (= money, food and equipment) is given to the world's poorest countries to help reduce poverty. Projects paid for by aid money are often aimed at improving local housing and water supply, agriculture, health and education. Training local people is a central part of many programmes. A lot of aid money comes from governments, but development projects are often run with the help of NGOs (non-governmental organizations), such as charities. Some charities, for example, Oxfam, the Red Cross and Save the Children, run their own aid programmes with money given by the general public. Additional emergency aid is given after natural disasters.The British government gives aid each year to developing countries. The distribution of aid is organized by the Department for International Development. Some aid is given direct to individual countries; the rest is distributed through international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank. Britain, together with other countries, is helping to reduce the debts of poorer countries and may under certain circumstances cancel debts.The US began giving foreign aid during the Second World War, when the Lend-Lease Act made it possible to give military equipment to foreign countries. After the war the US created the Marshall Plan, a $15 billion programme to help European countries rebuild their economies. The US has continued to spend large amounts of money on foreign aid although it has sometimes been criticized for the way it decides who to help. USAID distributes US foreign aid.Two organizations are particularly concerned with training local people. In Britain Voluntary Service Overseas arranges for people to work abroad for a few years so that they can pass on their skills. They are paid at local rates by the government of the country they are working in. The Peace Corps, a US government agency, does similar work but it pays the living expenses of the volunteers and gives them a small amount of money each month.
Extra Examples
- The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.
- The country's president has appealed for international aid in the wake of the disaster.
- Emergency aid arrived too late for many.
- a $14 million aid package
Topics The environmentb2, Moneyb2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- emergency
- humanitarian
- cash
- …
verb + aid
- appeal for
- call for
- extend
- …
aid + noun
- agency
- worker
- budget
- …
See full entry
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[uncountable] help that you need, especially to perform a particular task
- with the aid of somebody/something She walks with the aid of a stick.
- without the aid of somebody/something This job would be impossible without the aid of a computer.
- (formal) One of the staff saw he was in difficulty and came to his aid (= helped him).
see also first aidTopics Social issuesb2
Extra Examples
- I am now able to get around with the aid of a walking stick.
- We enlisted the aid of John and his family.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + aid
- ask for
- enlist
- come to somebody’s
- …
preposition
- in aid of
- with the aid of
- without the aid of
- …
See full entry
[countable] an object, a machine, etc. that you use to help you do something
- Photos make useful teaching aids.
see also hearing aid, visual aid
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- effective
- essential
- useful
- …
preposition
- aid to
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Idioms

aid and abet

Nearby words

dizzy

adjective

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