Humpty Dumpty the Executioner

Humpty Dumpty is not going to talk about the errors and malapropisms of illiterate GenXYZetc. poseurs--peak my interest, mute point, confusing affect and effect.  Instead, he is going to point out the corruption of language indulged in constantly by those guardians of all right-thinking, the media.

Befriend:  The basic meaning is "to act as a friend to someone," and thus to be helpful.  It often conveys the suggestion of a person in a superior position helping someone less able as when one befriends a lonely stranger or poor elderly person.  It is not generally used by careful speakers--by which I mean the sort of people who do not write articles for Wikipedia--in the sense of "to make friends with someone."