Aid vs. Support — What's the Difference?

In international relations, aid (also known as international aid, overseas aid, foreign aid, economic aid or foreign assistance) is – from the perspective of governments – a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another. Aid may serve one or more functions: it may be given as a signal of diplomatic approval, or to strengthen a military ally, to reward a government for behavior desired by the donor, to extend the donor's cultural influence, to provide infrastructure needed by the donor for resource extraction from the recipient country, or to gain other kinds of commercial access.

To bear the weight of, especially from below; keep from falling, sinking, or slipping

Help, typically of a practical nature

To bear or hold up (an amount of weight)

A grant of subsidy or tax to a king or queen.

To keep from weakening or failing; give confidence or comfort to

Help or support (someone or something) in the achievement of something

To keep from falling in value, as by government purchases

To provide assistance, support, or relief to

To provide for or maintain by supplying with money or necessities

To provide assistance, support, or relief

To furnish corroborating evidence for

The act or result of helping; assistance

To aid the cause, policy, or interests of

Something that provides help, support, or relief, such as money or supplies

To argue in favor of; advocate

Something, such as a device, that provides improvement

To have an enthusiastic interest in (a sports team).

An assistant or helper.

To endure; tolerate

An aide or aide-de-camp.

To act in a secondary or subordinate role to (a leading performer).

A monetary payment to a feudal lord by a vassal in medieval England.

To offer help or advice regarding (a product or service).

(uncountable) Help; assistance; succor, relief.

(Computers) To be compatible with (a program)

(countable) A helper; an assistant.

The act of supporting

(countable) Something which helps; a material source of help.

The state of being supported

An historical subsidy granted to the crown by Parliament for an extraordinary purpose, such as a war effort.

One that supports

An exchequer loan.

The provision of money or the necessities of life

A pecuniary tribute paid by a vassal to his feudal lord on special occasions.

Help or advice offered to those encountering difficulties with a product or service.

(countable) an aide-de-camp

(transitive) To keep from falling.

The rider's use of hands, legs, voice, etc. to control the horse.

(transitive) To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.

(transitive) To provide support to; to further the progress of; to help; to assist.

(transitive) To back a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid.

(climbing) To climb with the use of aids such as pitons.

(transitive) To help, particularly financially.

To support, either by furnishing strength or means in coöperation to effect a purpose, or to prevent or to remove evil; to help; to assist.

To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain.

Help; succor; assistance; relief.

(transitive) To serve, as in a customer-oriented mindset; to give support to.

The person or thing that promotes or helps in something done; a helper; an assistant.

(transitive) To be designed (said of machinery, electronics, or computers, or their parts, accessories, peripherals, or programming) to function compatibly with or provide the capacity for.

A subsidy granted to the king by Parliament; also, an exchequer loan.

(transitive) To be accountable for, or involved with, but not responsible for.

A pecuniary tribute paid by a vassal to his lord on special occasions.

(archaic) To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; to tolerate.

An aid-de-camp, so called by abbreviation; as, a general's aid.

To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain.

A resource;

Something which supports.

The activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose;

Financial or other help.

A gift of money to support a worthy person or cause

Answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold.

The work of caring for or attending to someone or something;

(mathematics) in relation to a function, the set of points where the function is not zero, or the closure of that set.

Give help or assistance; be of service;

(fuzzy set theory) A set whose elements are at least partially included in a given fuzzy set (i.e., whose grade of membership in that fuzzy set is strictly greater than zero).

Improve the condition of;

Evidence.

(computing) Compatibility and functionality for a given product or feature.

An actor playing a subordinate part with a star.

An accompaniment in music.

(gymnastics) support position

(structural analysis) Horizontal, vertical or rotational support of structures: movable, hinged, fixed. en

To bear by being under; to keep from falling; to uphold; to sustain, in a literal or physical sense; to prop up; to bear the weight of; as, a pillar supports a structure; an abutment supports an arch; the trunk of a tree supports the branches.

To endure without being overcome, exhausted, or changed in character; to sustain; as, to support pain, distress, or misfortunes.

To keep from failing or sinking; to solace under affictive circumstances; to assist; to encourage; to defend; as, to support the courage or spirits.

To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain; as, to support the character of King Lear.

To furnish with the means of sustenance or livelihood; to maintain; to provide for; as, to support a family; to support the ministers of the gospel.

To carry on; to enable to continue; to maintain; as, to support a war or a contest; to support an argument or a debate.

To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain; as, the testimony is not sufficient to support the charges; the evidence will not support the statements or allegations.

To vindicate; to maintain; to defend successfully; as, to be able to support one's own cause.

To uphold by aid or countenance; to aid; to help; to back up; as, to support a friend or a party; to support the present administration.

A attend as an honorary assistant; as, a chairman supported by a vice chairman; O'Connell left the prison, supported by his two sons.

The act, state, or operation of supporting, upholding, or sustaining.

That which upholds, sustains, or keeps from falling, as a prop, a pillar, or a foundation of any kind.

That which maintains or preserves from being overcome, falling, yielding, sinking, giving way, or the like; subsistence; maintenance; assistance; reënforcement; as, he gave his family a good support, the support of national credit; the assaulting column had the support of a battery.

The activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities;

Aiding the cause or policy or interests of;

Something providing immaterial support or assistance to a person or cause or interest;

A military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission;

Documentary validation;

The financial means whereby one lives;

Supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation;

The act of bearing the weight of or strengthening;

A subordinate musical part; provides background for more important parts

Any device that bears the weight of another thing;

Financial resources provided to make some project possible;

Give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to;

Support materially or financially;

Be behind; approve of;

Be the physical support of; carry the weight of;

Establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts;

Adopt as a belief;

Support with evidence or authority or make more certain or confirm;

Argue or speak in defense of;

Play a subordinate role to (another performer);

Be a regular customer or client of;

Put up with something or somebody unpleasant;