| n. | 1. | The act of aiding one's self, without depending on the aid of others. |
| 2. | (Law) The right or fact of redressing or preventing wrongs by one's own action without recourse to legal proceedings, as in self-defense, distress, abatement of a nuisance, etc. |
| 3. | developing one's capabilities or solving one's own problems, especially psychological problems, without the assistance of a professional, by independent study or by association with other individuals having similar interests. |
| a. | 1. | of, pertaining to, or useful for the process of developing one's capabilities or solving one's problems; as, self-help books on writing for profit. |