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can't help. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
can't help, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
can't help in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
can't help you have here. The definition of the word
can't help will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
can't help, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Pronunciation
Verb
can't help (third-person singular simple present can't help, no present participle, simple past couldn't help, no past participle)
- (idiomatic) Be unable to avoid a situation, or stop something from happening.
I can't help crying whenever I see "Romeo and Juliet".
Usage notes
- Only negative forms of can help have this meaning of cannot avoid.
- No one can help laughing when he comes on stage.
- Can help can have the meaning of be able to avoid only when the context has already established the use of can't help.
- A: I can't help being scared.
- B: Of course you can help it.
- This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund or, with but, the bare infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs.
- I can't help agreeing with you.
- I can't help but agree with you.
Translations
not be able to avoid something
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 忍唔住 (jan2 m4 zyu6)
- Mandarin: 忍不住 (zh) (rěnbuzhù), 不禁 (zh) (bùjīn)
- French: être plus fort que soi, ne pas pouvoir s'empêcher de, ne rien pouvoir y faire
- German: nicht umhin können, nicht lassen können, nicht anders können als
- Italian: non poter fare a meno di, non potere fare a meno di, non poterci fare niente
- Japanese: ...しないではいられない (...shinaide wa irarenai)
- Korean: 안 … ᆯ(할) 수 없다 (an … -l(hal) su eopda)
- Russian: не мочь не (ne močʹ ne)
- Spanish: no poder evitar, no poder dejar de
- Swedish: inte kunna låta bli, inte rå för, inte kunna rå för
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