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A female helper or assistant. [R.]

Helping; helpful; assisting. [R.] "Adjuvant causes." Howell.

or means in coöperation to effect a purpose, or to prevent or to remove evil; to help; to assist. You speedy helpers . . . Appear and aid me in this enterprise. Shak.

An officer selected by a general to carry orders, also to assist or represent him in correspondence and in directing movements.

A suffix signifying action; also, quality or state; as, assistance, resistance, appearance, elegance. See -ancy.

In England, an ecclesiastical dignitary, next in rank below a bishop, whom he assists, and by whom he is appointed, though with independent authority. Blackstone.

by aiding and abetting a criminal in the perpetration of a crime, whether by advice or by assistance in the execution; complicity.

A man who manages, or assists in managing, a large gun in firing.

One appointed or elected to assist a judge or magistrate with his special knowledge of the subject to be decided; as legal assessors, nautical assessors. Mozley & W.

Conferring aid or help; helping; aiding; assisting; subsidiary; as auxiliary troops. Auxiliary scales (Mus.), the scales of relative or attendant keys. See under Attendant, a. -- Auxiliary verbs (Gram.). See Auxiliary, n., 3.

To promote; to assist. [Obs.] Pope. To avail one's self of, to make use of; take advantage of. Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names. Milton. I have availed myself of the very first opportunity. Dickens.

rope or stay extending from the masthead to the side of a ship, slanting a little aft, to assist the shrouds in supporting the mast. [ Often used in the plural.]

Specifically: One who assists in carrying a body to the grave; a pallbearer. Milton.

To serve; to assist; to profit; to avail. Milton.

The tropic bird. Boatswain's mate, an assistant of the boatswain. Totten.

To lift or push from behind (one who is endeavoring to climb); to push up; hence, to assist in overcoming obstacles, or in making advancement. [Colloq. U. S.]

One who assists or supports another in a contest; an abettor; a backer. [Colloq.] Lord Palmerston considered himself the bottleholder of oppressed states. The London Times.

turn (a yard) by checking or easing off the lee brace, and hauling in the weather one, to assist in tacking. -- To brace up (Naut.), to bring (a yard) nearer the direction of the keel by hauling in the lee brace. -- To brace up sharp (Naut.), to turn (a yard) as far forward as the rigging will permit.…

mustered into service. -- Brigade major, an officer who may be attached to a brigade to assist the brigadier in his duties.

A tailor's assistant for repairing garments; -- called also busheler. [Local, U.S.]