Avail
[ə'veɪl] or [ə'vel]
Definition
(noun.) a means of serving; 'of no avail'; 'there's no help for it'.
(verb.) use to one's advantage; 'He availed himself of the available resources'.
(verb.) take or use; 'She helped herself to some of the office supplies'.
(verb.) be of use to, be useful to; 'It will avail them to dispose of their booty'.
Checked by Benita--From WordNet
Definition
(v. t.) 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.
(v. t.) To promote; to assist.
(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.
(n.) Profit; advantage toward success; benefit; value; as, labor, without economy, is of little avail.
(n.) Proceeds; as, the avails of a sale by auction.
(v. t. & i.) See Avale, v.
Checked by Jean
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. Benefit, profit, be of advantage to.
v. n. Be of advantage, do good, be of use, answer the purpose.
n. Profit, advantage, benefit, use, utility, service.
Typed by Jennifer
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Profit, help, benefit, advantage, use, utility, service
ANT:Disadvantage, hindrance, helplessness
SYN:Suffice, hold, stand, endure, answer, tell, profit, help, benefit, advantage,service, use, utility
ANT:Fail, fall, disappoint, betray
Edited by Greg
Definition
v.t. to be of value or service to: to benefit: to take the benefit of (used reflexively with of).—v.i. to be of use: to answer the purpose: (obs.) to take or draw advantage: (Amer.) to inform assure of.—n. benefit: profit: service.—adj. Avail′able that one may avail one's self of utilise: profitable: suitable obtainable: accessible.—ns. Avail′ableness Availabil′ity quality of being available: power in promoting an end in view: validity.—advs. Avail′ably; Avail′ingly in an availing manner.
Same asAvale.
Inputed by Henrietta
Examples
- Such links of sentiment and association were of little avail against the intense separatism of the Greek political institutions. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- No less potent enchantment could avail to work this miracle. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- It would avail me nothing to extenuate it now. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- I never go to London; so I am not likely to be able to avail myself of your polite offers. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell. North and South.
- Force is of no avail with me, and you came in a rage to demand what I refused to tell you. Fergus Hume. The Island of Fantasy.
- It is a hundred to one if I should avail myself of it four times in a year. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- Oliver saw, but too plainly, that resistance would be of no avail. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- Bois-Guilbert made an effort to suppress his rising scorn and indignation, the expression of which, he was well aware, would have little availed him. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- Oliver availed himself of the kind permission, and fell to the floor in a fainting fit. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- I availed myself of your obliging hints to correct my timidity, and it is unnecessary to add that they were perfectly accurate. Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
- This afternoon I came through it, and found you asleep in classe; again this evening I have availed myself of the same entrance. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- These recommendations, however, availed nothing with Mr. Fairlie. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- Really he would have been an uncommon, instead of a common, fellow, if he had not availed himself of such an opportunity. Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
- This was the substance of Mr. Sidney's defence: but neither law, nor reason, nor eloquence, nor innocence ever availed where _Jefferies_ sat as judge. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- What avails it to me that you do not reproach me, if I so bitterly reproach myself! Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
- What now avails all my toil and labour in amassing honey-dew on this leaf, which I cannot live to enjoy? Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- And what avails repeating this so often? Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- Silence, maiden, answered the Templar; such discourse now avails but little. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- But thou, wounded as thou art, what avails it thou shouldst follow the steps of him whom thou couldst not aid, were he to be assaulted? Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- And what now avails rant or flattery? Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
Checked by Gerald