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”

Example Sentences

In an open letter, Tawfiq al-Tirawi, 77, said he had repeatedly alerted the Palestinian president to cases of graft, but to no avail.

From Barron's

I have attempted to talk to my local Social Security office about this, but to no avail.

From MarketWatch

He spent months sending out résumés for full-time jobs to no avail.

From The Wall Street Journal

She said the neighborhood coalition has for months been “politely, quietly, collaboratively” reaching out to Bonta to meet with them but to no avail.

From Los Angeles Times

She also went to the airport hoping to buy flights in person, to no avail.

From The Wall Street Journal