Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Avail"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Avail \A*vail"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Availed} (?); p. pr. & vb.
n. {Availing}.] [OE. availen, fr. F. ? (L. ad) + valoir to be
worth, fr. L. valere to be strong, to be worth. See
{Valiant}.]
1. To turn to the advantage of; to be of service to; to
profit; to benefit; to help; as, artifices will not avail
the sinner in the day of judgment.
O, what avails me now that honor high ! --Milton.
2. To promote; to assist. [Obs.] --Pope.
{To avail one's self of}, to make use of; take advantage of.
Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names.
--Milton.
I have availed myself of the very first opportunity.
--Dickens.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Avail \A*vail"\, v. i.
To be of use or advantage; to answer the purpose; to have
strength, force, or efficacy sufficient to accomplish the
object; as, the plea in bar must avail, that is, be
sufficient to defeat the suit; this scheme will not avail;
medicines will not avail to check the disease. ``What signs
avail ?'' --Milton.
Words avail very little with me, young man. --Sir W.
Scott.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Avail \A*vail"\, n.
1. Profit; advantage toward success; benefit; value; as,
labor, without economy, is of little avail.
The avail of a deathbed repentance. --Jer. Taylor.
2. pl. Proceeds; as, the avails of a sale by auction.
The avails of their own industry. --Stoddard.
Syn: Use; benefit; utility; profit; service.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Avail \A*vail"\, v. t. & i.
See {Avale}, v. [Obs.] --Spenser.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
avail
n : a means of serving; "of no avail"; "there's no help for it"
[syn: {help}, {service}]
v 1: use to one's advantage; "He availed himself of the available
resources"
2: be of use to, be useful to; "It will avail them to dispose
of their booty"
3: take or use; "She helped herself to some of the office
supplies" [syn: {help}]
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