avail
[ uh-veyl ]
/ əˈveɪl /
||
verb (used with object)
to be of use or value to; profit; advantage: All our efforts availed us little in trying to effect a change.
verb (used without object)
to be of use; have force or efficacy; serve; help: His strength did not avail against the hostile onslaught.
to be of value or profit.
noun
advantage; use; efficacy; effective use in the achievement of a goal or objective: His belated help will be of little or no avail.
avails, Archaic. profits or proceeds.
Nearby words
av, av node, av., ava, avadavat, avail, avail oneself of, available, available light, avalanche, avalanche lily
Idioms
avail oneself of, to use to one's advantage: They availed themselves of the opportunity to hear a free concert.
Origin of avail
1250–1300; Middle English availe, equivalent to a- a-2 + vaile < Old French vail- (stem of valoir) < Latin valēre to be of worth
Related formsa·vail·ing·ly, adverbun·a·vailed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for availing
British Dictionary definitions for availing
avail
/ (əˈveɪl) /
verb
to be of use, advantage, profit, or assistance (to)
avail oneself of to make use of to one's advantage
noun
use or advantage (esp in the phrases of no avail, to little avail)
Derived Formsavailingly, adverb
Word Origin for avail
C13 availen, from vailen, from Old French valoir, from Latin valēre to be strong, prevail
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Idioms and Phrases with availing
avail
In addition to the idiom beginning with avail
- avail oneself of
also see:
- to no avail
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.