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View synonyms for

avail

[ uh-veyl ]

verb (used with object)

  1. 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)

  1. to be of use; have force or efficacy; serve; help:

    His strength did not avail against the hostile onslaught.

  2. to be of value or profit.

noun

  1. advantage; use; efficacy; effective use in the achievement of a goal or objective:

    His belated help will be of little or no avail.

  2. avails, Archaic. profits or proceeds.

avail

/ əˈɪ /

verb

  1. to be of use, advantage, profit, or assistance (to)
  2. avail oneself of
    to make use of to one's advantage
“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

noun

  1. use or advantage (esp in the phrases of no avail, to little avail )
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈԲ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • ·iԲ· adverb
  • ܲa· adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of avail1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English availe, from a- a- 2 + Old French vail-, noun stem of valoir “to be worth,” from Latin ŧ “to be strong, be well, be of worth”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of avail1

C13 availen, from vailen, from Old French valoir, from Latin ŧ to be strong, prevail
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. avail oneself of, to use to one's advantage:

    They availed themselves of the opportunity to hear a free concert.

More idioms and phrases containing avail

In addition to the idiom beginning with avail , also see to no avail .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

So, too, could the round of rejections he got after trying to shop around six demos to no avail, but despite the elements putting up a fierce battle, Adebimpe prevailed.

From

The stylist’s daughter found his bloody body, called 911 and tried desperately to save him — to no avail.

From

Juric treated the technical area as optional, spending more time out of it than in, often crouching down, repeatedly shouting instructions but all to no avail as the Saints were relegated to the Championship.

From

When Silvanna arrived at the hospital, medical staff assumed the lifesaving measures to no avail, and she was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner.

From

Children and young people experiencing gender dysphoria can avail of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust's Knowing Our Identity Service which has a small number of staff with specialised skills.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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avadavatavailability