To assist is to help someone do something by making it easier or by doing part of the work.
It comes from Latin *assistere*, meaning 'to stand by' or 'to stand near', from *ad-* 'to' and *sistere* 'to stand'. The idea moved from physically standing beside someone to supporting them in action.
The picture of 'standing by' someone is powerful: real assistance isn’t just doing tasks, it’s being reliably beside a person when they need you. In sports, in life, and in learning, the best assists come from people who are well-positioned and paying attention.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.