avail

American  

[uh-veyl] / əˈveɪl /

verb (used with object)

1. to be of use or value to; profit; advantage.

   All our efforts availed us little in trying to effect a change.

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verb (used without object)

1. to be of use; have force or efficacy; serve; help.

   His strength did not avail against the hostile onslaught.

2. to be of value or profit.

noun

1. advantage; use; efficacy; effective use in the achievement of a goal or objective.

   His belated help will be of little or no avail.

2. Archaic. avails, profits or proceeds.

idioms

1. avail oneself of, to use to one's advantage.

   They availed themselves of the opportunity to hear a free concert.

avail British  

/ əˈveɪl /

verb

1. to be of use, advantage, profit, or assistance (to)

2. to make use of to one's advantage

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noun

1. use or advantage (esp in the phrases of no avail, to little avail )

avail More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing avail

• to no avail

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Other Word Forms

• availingly
  adverb
• unavailed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of avail

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English availe, from a- a- ² + Old French vail-, noun stem of valoir “to be worth,” from Latin valēre “to be strong, be well, be of worth”

Explanation

To avail means to take advantage of an opportunity, the way you'd be crazy not to avail yourself of a chocolate milkshake on Free Milkshake Day at your local ice cream parlor. Sometimes avail is used to mean "help," and in that case it can be used in a sentence like "Nothing seemed to avail me, not even winning the lottery." More often though, avail shows up in the company of "oneself of," as in the sentence, "I hope you avail yourself of my advice, because I'm very wise." It might seem like a complicated way to use a verb, but it's one you should avail yourself of if you're hoping to impress someone.

Example Sentences

In a July survey by the property management platform Avail, only 8 percent planned to sell their units, half the rate from earlier in the year.

From New York Times • Sep. 27, 2022

According to a survey by Avail, a property management platform owned by Realtor.com, 60% of renters reported that increasing rental prices and household expenses were their biggest causes of financial strain.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2022

O, what will all thy riches, pleasures, pomps, Avail thee now?

From The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus From the Quarto of 1616 by Dyce, Alexander

Indeed, he charmeth; nor amulets nor spells nor magic may Avail      to ward off the faithful glance of those his eyes from you.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume II by Payne, John

The fed fools beat their brazen gong For gods' ears dulled by blatant praise, Awonder why the scented fumes And surplices at evensong Avail not as in other days.

From The Eye of Zeitoon by Mundy, Talbot