I. əˈvāl, esp bef pause or cons -āəl verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English availen, probably from a- (as in abaten to abate) + vailen to avail — more at vail
intransitive verb
1. : to function effectively or advantageously in the accomplishment of an objective : be useful or beneficial for a specific purpose
apparatus and pretension avail nothing
heroism could not avail against the enemy fire
the wall could not avail to protect the town against cannon
2. : to be of profit or value : serve to clarify or improve a situation
no comparison would avail , he was one of a kind
the forces of which judges avowedly avail to shape the form and content of their judgments — B.N.Cardozo
transitive verb
1. : to be of service or advantage to : benefit , profit
2. archaic : to give (someone) a specific advantage or benefit — used with of
avail Mr. Barclay of that fund — Thomas Jefferson
3.
a. : to take advantage : make use — used with of
far from resenting such tutelage I am only too glad to avail myself of it — G.B.Shaw
b. : to use or apply to good advantage
Synonyms: see use
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from availen, v.
1. obsolete : profit , benefit , value
the avail of a deathbed repentance — Jeremy Taylor
2. : effective advantage toward attainment of a goal or purpose : use — used chiefly after of or to and now usually in negative contexts
his effort was of no avail
3. avails plural , archaic : profits or proceeds especially from a business or from the sale of property
I made it clear that none of my avails were going to be dissipated — S.H.Adams
Synonyms: see use