assist

/əˈsɪst/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈsɪst/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈsist/ (ame, mw)

assist — 動詞

1. to do part of a task alongside someone, or to give them what they need so the ta

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

協助；幫忙

出力分擔工作或提供所需資源

to do part of a task alongside someone, or to give them what they need so the task is easier or finishes faster.

例句

Two trainee nurses assisted Dr. Patel during the four-hour heart surgery.

兩名實習護士在四小時的心臟手術中協助了 Patel 醫師。

assist + somebody (during a professional task)

Anaya assisted her grandmother with the grocery bags up the steep stairs.

Anaya 幫忙奶奶把雜貨袋拎上陡峭的樓梯。

assist + somebody + with + noun

同義詞
  • help

    everyday, all-purpose word; 'assist' is more formal and task-focused

  • aid

    also formal; often used for organisations giving resources, not hands-on work

  • support

    broader — includes emotional or financial backing, not just task help

反義詞
  • hinder

    to make a task slower or harder for someone

  • obstruct

    stronger; to actively block someone's progress

文法句型

assist + somebody

assist + somebody + with + noun

assist + somebody + in + -ing

assist + with + noun

用法筆記

More formal than 'help'; common in workplaces, hospitals, and customer-service contexts. Object is usually a person, and the action is often a specific task rather than vague support.

常見錯誤

❌I assisted to my brother.
✅I assisted my brother.
💡no preposition before the person who receives help.
❌She assisted me to carry the box.
✅She assisted me in carrying the box.' or 'She helped me carry the box.
💡'assist' takes 'in + -ing', not bare 'to + verb'.

2. to be at a police station answering officers' questions in connection with a pos

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

協助警方調查

在警局接受訊問的婉轉說法

to be at a police station answering officers' questions in connection with a possible offence — used by news reports as a polite way to say someone is being questioned without yet being charged.

例句

A 42-year-old man is currently assisting the police with their inquiries into the warehouse fire.

一名 42 歲男子目前正在協助警方調查倉庫火災案。

fixed phrase: assisting the police with their inquiries

The BBC reported that two suspects were assisting officers with inquiries on Sunday morning.

BBC 報導，週日早上有兩名嫌疑人正在協助警方調查。

passive-style news register

同義詞

文法句型

assist + the police + with + their inquiries

用法筆記

Almost always appears in the fixed pattern 'assisting the police with their inquiries'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense does NOT mean the person is voluntarily helping detective work; it is a euphemism for being questioned as a possible suspect.

常見錯誤

❌My uncle is a great citizen — he often assists the police with their inquiries.
✅My uncle often volunteers as a witness for the police.
💡the fixed phrase implies the person is suspected, not praised.

assist — 名詞