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definitions

avail

[uh-veyl]
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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.

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RELATED WORDS

account, service, advantage, usefulness, applicability, fitness, appropriateness, satisfy, profit, suffice, work, serve, benefit, meet, answer, fulfill, fill

Nearby words

  1. av,
  2. av node,
  3. av.,
  4. ava,
  5. avadavat,
  6. avail oneself of,
  7. availability,
  8. available,
  9. available light,
  10. availing

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

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
Word Origin and History for availing
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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.