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To resort; to have recourse; to go for help. If, to avoid succession in eternal existence, they recur to the "punctum stans" of the schools, they will thereby very little help us to a more positive idea of infinite duration. Locke. Recurring decimal (Math.), a circulating decimal. See under Decimal. -- Recurring serie…

rial, evil, distress, or the like; to give ease, comfort, or consolation to; to give aid, help, or succor to; to support, strengthen, or deliver; as, to relieve a besieged town. Now lend assistance and relieve the poor. Dryden.

uctance to obey the summons. Sir W. Scott. Bear witness, Heaven, with what reluctancy Her helpless innocence I doom to die. Dryden.

To send off or away; hence: (a) To refer or direct (one) for information, guidance, help, etc. "Remitting them . . . to the works of Galen." Sir T. Elyot. (b) To submit, refer, or leave (something) for judgment or decision. "Whether the counsel be good Iremit it to the wise readers." Sir T. Elyot.

avor; to request. I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way. Ezra viii. 22.

To have recourse; to apply; to one's self for help, relief, or advantage. The king thought it time to resort to other counsels. Clarendon.

resh-water fishes. -- River crab (Zoöl.), any species of fresh-water crabs of the genus Thelphusa, as T. depressa of Southern Europe. -- River dragon, a crocodile; -- applied by Milton to the king of Egypt. -- River driver, a lumberman who drives or conducts logs down rivers. Bartlett. -- River duck (Zoöl.), any sp…

in a quick, hurried manner; to hasten away. Macaulay. The lady, however, . . . could not help scampering about the room after a mouse. S. Sharpe.

To escape. [Obs. or Poetic.] Milton. Out of this prison help that we may scape. Chaucer.

apart as a second or additional wife. [Utah, U.S.] If a man once married desires a second helpmate . . . she is sealed to him under the solemn sanction of the church. H. Stansbury.

Aid; assistance; help. [Obs.] Give second, and my love Is everlasting thine. J. Fletcher.

-- sometimes the result of concussion of the head. [Colloq.] -- To see (one) through, to help, watch, or guard (one) to the end of a course or an undertaking.

Knowing of itself, without help from another.

abors or exerts himself for the benefit of another, his master or employer; a subordinate helper. "A yearly hired servant." Lev. xxv. 53. Men in office have begun to think themselves mere agents and servants of the appointing power, and not agents of the government or the country. D. Webster.

be in the employment of, as an inferior, domestic, serf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.; specifically, in a religious sense, to obey and worship. God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit. Rom. i. 9. Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Gen. xx…

bor for the benefit of another, or at another's command; attendance of an inferior, hired helper. slave, etc., on a superior, employer, master, or the like; also, spiritual obedience and love. "O God . . . whose service is perfect freedom." Bk. of Com. Prayer. Madam, I entreat true peace of you, Which I will purchase w…

ast, tree, rope, or the like, by embracing it alternately with the arms and legs, without help of steps, spurs, or the like; -- used with up; as, to shin up a mast. [Slang]

Short of, or lacking the regular number of, servants or helpers.

Weak; helpless; frail. [Obs.] After long storms . . . With which my silly bark was tossed sore. Spenser. The silly buckets on the deck. Coleridge.

In a sorry manner; poorly. Thy pipe, O Pan, shall help, though I sing sorrily. Sir P. Sidney.