Help

subs. (colloquial: once literary).—A hired assistant. LADY-HELP = a woman acting as a companion, and undertaking the lighter domestic duties with or without wages.

  1824.  R. B. PEAKE, Americans Abroad, i., 1. Have you seen my HELP—my nigger.

  1839.  DE QUINCEY, On Murder, Considered as one of the Fine Arts, ii. For domestic ‘HELPS’ are pretty generally in a state of transition.

  1848.  W. E. BURTON, Waggeries and Vagaries, p. 77. A bevy of ready HELPS rushed upon him and tore him from the seat of honour.

  1861.  T. HUGHES, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. vi. ‘Well, you’ve had a pretty good day of it,’ said Tom, who had been hugely amused; ‘but I should feel nervous about the HELP, if I were you.’

  SO HELP (or S’ELP or S’WELP) ME GOD (BOB, NEVER, or SAY-SO, etc.), phr. (common).—An emphatic asseveration.

  1888.  J. RUNCIMAN, The Chequers, p. 86. I’ll pay it back, S’ELP ME GORD.

  1892.  CHEVALIER, ‘Mrs. ’Enery ’Awkins.’

  1892.  MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, p. 62. ’SELP ME NEVER, old pal, it’s a scorcher.

  1893.  P. H. EMERSON, Signor Lippo, ch. xiv. Well, SO HELP MY BLESSED TATER, if this isn’t our old Jose turned up again.