aid

Band-Aid solution

A quick and/or temporary solution to a problem that does not address or resolve the underlying cause of said problem. Taken from the Band-Aid brand of adhesive bandages. While offering free pizza to customers affected by the oil spill is a cute Band-Aid solution, the company has no plan in place to deal with the actual damage that it caused.

See also: solution

come to (someone's) aid

To provide assistance, support, or rescue to someone. Thank goodness the Coast Guard came to my aid, or I might have drowned out there. We were in serious financial trouble until Susan's mother came to our aid and helped us with some of our debt.

See also: aid, come

Band-Aid treatment

A method of covering up a problem, rather than solving it or getting to the root of it. Refers to the trademark for a brand of adhesive bandages. Honestly, I think this is just a Band-Aid treatment—we need to work harder and find a real solution.

See also: treatment

Band-Aid

A quick and usually ineffective solution to a problem that only addresses the symptom and not the root cause. Refers to the trademark for a brand of adhesive bandages. Primarily heard in US. Lowering educational standards in schools may increase graduation rates, but it does little more than slap a Band-Aid on a much deeper problem.

an aide-mémoire

Notes or pictures that one uses to remember something. When I was studying for the test, I made an aide-mémoire of all the steps in photosynthesis.

be in aid of

To support or help (someone or something). The fundraiser is in aid of the local family whose house just burned down.

See also: aid, of

in aid of

Support or helping (someone or something). The fundraiser is in aid of the local family whose house just burned down.

See also: aid, of

aid and abet

To assist someone, usually in a mischievous or illegal activity. Gary was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting the jewelry thief. I know other kids aided and abetted Paul in egging our house—he's just the only one who got caught.

See also: abet, aid, and

aid (someone) in (something)

To assist someone in completing an action or activity. It was nice of Julie to aid me in cleaning my house before the party. Jim aided his son in changing the flat tire on the car.

See also: aid

bring (something) to (one's) aid

To provide something to someone in need of help or assistance. The kind woman at the information desk brought a wheelchair to my grandmother's aid.

See also: aid, bring

What's (something) in aid of?

What is the reason for or purpose of something? Someone told me they just called an all-hands meeting for this afternoon. What is that in aid of?

See also: aid

aid and abet someone

Cliché to help someone; to incite someone to do something, possibly something that is wrong. (Originally a legal phrase.) He was scolded for aiding and abetting the boys who were fighting.

See also: abet, aid, and

aid someone in doing something

to help someone do something. He aided her in fixing up the back bedroom.

See also: aid

aid someone in something

to help someone in some kind of trouble. Will you aid me in this difficulty?

See also: aid

be in aid of

to be intended to help, cure, or resolve. What is all this in aid of? I don't understand what your comments are in aid of.

See also: aid, of

bring something to someone's aid

to bring something with which to help someone. The officer brought medical supplies to our aid. An ambulance was brought to the injured man's aid.

See also: aid, bring

aid and abet

FORMAL

If someone aids and abets another person, they help or encourage them to do something criminal or wrong. His wife was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for aiding and abetting him. Note: This expression is often used in legal contexts.

See also: abet, aid, and

aid and abet

help and encourage someone to do something wrong, especially to commit a crime.

Abet comes from an Old French term meaning ‘to encourage a hound to bite’.

1986 Frank Peretti This Present Darkness She strained to think of…any friend who would still aid and abet a fugitive from the law, without questions.

See also: abet, aid, and

in aid of

in support of; for the purpose of raising money for. chiefly British

1999 Teesdale Mercury A wine and savoury evening in aid of cancer research will be held…on Friday.

See also: aid, of

what's all this in aid of?

what is the purpose of this? British informal

See also: aid, all, this

in aid of somebody/something

(British English) in order to help somebody/something: The children spent the day collecting money in aid of charity.

See also: aid, of, somebody, something

what’s (all) ˈthis, etc. in aid of?

(British English, spoken) what is the purpose or cause of something?: What’s all this crying in aid of?

See also: aid

thirst-aid station

n. a place to purchase liquor. (Punning on first-aid station.) Let’s stop at the next thirst-aid station and get a snort.

See also: station

aid and abet, to

To assist and promote or encourage something or someone. The pairing of these nearly synonymous verbs, always in this order, comes from criminal law, where it denotes helping, facilitating and promoting the commission of a crime. The verbs themselves are quite old, aid dating from about 1400 and abet from about 1300. Although the term still is principally used in relation to criminal actions, it gradually crept into more general speech, as in “The influx of Canada geese on the golf course, aided and abetted by people feeding them . . .”

See also: aid, and

band-aid approach/solution

A stopgap measure, a temporary expedient. This term applies the trade name for a small bandage, the Band-Aid, patented in 1924, to approaching or solving an issue in a makeshift way. It dates from the late 1960s and is approaching cliché status.

See also: approach, solution