succour

Etymology

The noun comes from Middle English socour, taken as the singular of socours (‘help; encouragement; remedy; protection; helper, protector’), from Anglo-Norman socurs, sucurs and Old French secors, secours (modern French secours), from Medieval Latin succursus (a participle), from Latin succurrēre (‘to run to the help of’), itself from Latin sub- (‘from below’) and currere (‘run’). The verb comes from Middle English socouren (‘to help’), from Anglo-Norman socure (compare modern French secourir), also from Latin succurrēre.