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v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Availed (&unr_;); p. pr. & vb. n. Availing. ] [ OE. availen, fr. F. &unr_; (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. [ 1913 Webster ]

O, what avails me now that honor high ! Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To promote; to assist. [ Obs. ] Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

To avail one's self of, to make use of; take advantage of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have availed myself of the very first opportunity. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Words avail very little with me, young man. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Profit; advantage toward success; benefit; value; as, labor, without economy, is of little avail. [ 1913 Webster ]

The avail of a deathbed repentance. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. Proceeds; as, the avails of a sale by auction. [ 1913 Webster ]

The avails of their own industry. Stoddard. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Use; benefit; utility; profit; service. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. See Avale, v. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Availabilities 1. The quality of being available; availableness. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The word is sometimes used derogatively in the sense of “mere availableness, ” or capability of success without regard to worthiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was . . . nominated for his availability. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is available. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having sufficient power, force, or efficacy, for the object; effectual; valid; as, an available plea. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Laws human are available by consent. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Such as one may avail one's self of; capable of being used for the accomplishment of a purpose; usable; profitable; advantageous; convertible into a resource; as, an available measure; an available candidate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Struggling to redeem, as he did, the available months and days out of so many that were unavailable. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Having no available funds with which to pay the calls on new shares. H. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Competent power; validity; efficacy; as, the availableness of a title. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Quality of being available; capability of being used for the purpose intended. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Profit; advantage. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Countervailed p. pr. & vb. n. Countervailing. ] [ OF. contrevaloir; contre (L. contra) + valoir to avail, fr. L. valere to be strong, avail. See Vallant. ] To act against with equal force, power, or effect; to thwart or overcome by such action; to furnish an equivalent to or for; to counterbalance; to compensate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Upon balancing the account, the profit at last will hardly countervail the inconveniences that go allong with it. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Power or value sufficient to obviate any effect; equal weight, strength, or value; equivalent; compensation; requital. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Surely, the present pleasure of a sinful act is a poor countervail for the bitterness of the review. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From L. Ilva, the island now called Elba. ] (Min.) A silicate of iron and lime occurring in black prismatic crystals and columnar masses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Marvel. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ F. neuvaine, fr. LL. novena, fr. L. novem. See Noon. ] (R. C. Ch.) Prayers offered up for nine successive days. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. See Overveil. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OF. par aval below; par through (L. per) + aval down; a- (L. ad) + val (L. vallis) a valley. Cf. Paramount. ] (Eng. Law) At the bottom; lowest. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In feudal law, the tenant paravail is the lowest tenant of the fee, or he who is immediate tenant to one who holds over of another. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Prevailed p. pr. & vb. n. Prevailing. ] [ F. prévaloir, OF. prevaleir, L. praevalere; prae before + valere to be strong, able, or worth. See Valiant. ] 1. To overcome; to gain the victory or superiority; to gain the advantage; to have the upper hand, or the mastery; to succeed; -- sometimes with over or against. [ 1913 Webster ]

When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Ex. xvii. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

So David prevailed over the Philistine. 1 Sam. xvii. 50. [ 1913 Webster ]

This kingdom could never prevail against the united power of England. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be in force; to have effect, power, or influence; to be predominant; to have currency or prevalence; to obtain; as, the practice prevails this day. [ 1913 Webster ]

This custom makes the short-sighted bigots, and the warier skeptics, as far as it prevails. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To persuade or induce; -- with on, upon, or with; as, I prevailedon him to wait. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was prevailed with to restrain the Earl. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prevail upon some judicious friend to be your constant hearer, and allow him the utmost freedom. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having superior force or influence; efficacious; persuasive. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Saints shall assist thee with prevailing prayers. Rowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Predominant; prevalent; most general; as, the prevailing disease of a climate; a prevailing opinion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. See Prevalent. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. So as to prevail. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Prevalence; superior influence; efficacy. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ n. Also }. [ Stove (a translation of the name of the discoverer, Fourneau + -in, -ine. ] (Pharm.) A substance, C14H22O2NCl, the hydrochloride of an amino compound containing benzol, used, in solution with strychnine, as a local anaesthetic, esp. by injection into the sheath of the spinal cord, producing anaesthesia below the point of introduction. Called also amylocaine hydrochloride. Chemically it is the hydrochloride of the benzoyl ester of 1-(dimethylaminomethyl)-1-methyl propanol. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. travail; cf. Pr. trabalh, trebalh, toil, torment, torture; probably from LL. trepalium a place where criminals are tortured, instrument of torture. But the French word may be akin to L. trabs a beam, or have been influenced by a derivative from trabs (cf. Trave). Cf. Travel. ] 1. Labor with pain; severe toil or exertion. [ 1913 Webster ]

As everything of price, so this doth require travail. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Parturition; labor; as, an easy travail. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Cf. F. travail, a frame for confining a horse, or OF. travail beam, and E. trave, n. Cf. Travail, v. i. ] Same as Travois. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Travailed p. pr. & vb. n. Travailing. ] [ F. travailler, OF. traveillier, travaillier, to labor, toil, torment; cf. Pr. trebalhar to torment, agitate. See Travail, n. ] 1. To labor with pain; to toil. [ Archaic ] “Slothful persons which will not travail for their livings.” Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To suffer the pangs of childbirth; to be in labor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To harass; to tire. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

As if all these troubles had not been sufficient to travail the realm, a great division fell among the nobility. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Causing travail; laborious. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. -- Trav"ail*ous*ly, adv. [Obs.] Wyclif. [1913 Webster]

Ineffective in achieving the desired result; ineffectual; futile; of no use; useless; pointless. [ PJC ]

See abolishable.
See absolvable.
See absurd.
See abundant.
See accordant.
See adoptable.
See adventurous.
See affable.
See affectionate.
See afraid.
See alliable.
See allowable.
See alterable.
See ambiguous.
See ambitious.
See amendable.
See -American.
See amusive.
See angular.
See anxious.
See apocryphal.
See apostolic.
See apparent.
See appeasable.
See applausive.
See appreciable.
See apprehensible.
See apprehensive.
See approachable.
See artificial.
See artistic.
See assailable.
See attainable.
See attentive.
See authentic.
See available.
See bailable.
See bearable.
See beautiful.
See beliefful.
See believable.
See beneficial.
See benevolent.
See blamable.
See blemishable.
See blissful.
See boastful.
See bold.
See bookish.
See bounteous.
See bribable.
See brotherly.
See burdensome.
See businesslike.
See busy.
See candid.
See canonical.
See captious.
See careful.
See celestial.
See ceremonious.
See challengeable.
See changeable.
See chary.
See chastisable.
See cheerful.
See cheery.
See childish.
See chivalrous.
See choleric.
See christianlike.
See circumspect.
See civic.
See classible.
See classic.
See classical.
See cleanly.
See clear.
See clerical.
See clerklike.
See close.
See cloudy.
See clubbable.
See coagulable.
See cogitable.
See collectible.
See comic.
See commendable.
See commercial.
See communicable.
See communicative.
See compact.
See companionable.
See compassionate.
See compellable.
See competitive.
See complaisant.
See compliant. See complimentary.
See concealable.
See concurrent.
See conditionate.
See confinable.
See confutable.
See congealable.
See congenial.
See conjugal.
See conjunctive.
See conquerable.
See consecrate.
See containable.
See contaminate.
See contradictable.
See contrite.
See convenable.
See conventional.
See conversable.
See conversant.
See convertible.
See coquettish.
See cordial.
See corpulent.
See correspondent.
See corruptible.
See corruptive.
See costly.
See counselable.
See countable.
See counterfeit.
See courteous.
See courtierlike.
See courtly.
See crafty.
See creatable.
See critical.
See crystalline.
See cultivable.
See curious.
See customary.
See dangerous.
See daughterly.
See dead.
See deceivable.
See decidable.
See decipherable.
See declinable.
See decomposable.
See definable.
See delectable.
See deliberate.
See delightful.
See deliverable.
See democratic.
See demonstrable.
See demonstrative.
See deniable.
See derogatory.
See descendible.
See describable.
See desirable.
See desirous.
See despondent.
See devout.
See diaphanous.
See diligent.
See diminishable.
See discernible.
See disciplinable.
See discordant.
See discoverable.
See dissolvable.
See distinguishable.
See dividable.
See divine.
See domestic.
See doubtful.
[ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. See Unveil. [ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Submission; decline; descent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & v. t. Same as Veil. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aphetic form of avail, n. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Avails; profit; return; proceeds. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

My house is as 'twere the cave where the young outlaw hoards the stolen vails of his occupation. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An unexpected gain or acquisition; a casual advantage or benefit; a windfall. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Money given to servants by visitors; a gratuity; -- usually in the plural. [ Written also vale. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Aphetic form of avale. See Avale, Vale. ] [ Written also vale, and veil. ] 1. To let fall; to allow or cause to sink. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Vail your regard
Upon a wronged, I would fain have said, a maid! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To lower, or take off, in token of inferiority, reverence, submission, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

France must vail her lofty-plumed crest! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Without vailing his bonnet or testifying any reverence for the alleged sanctity of the relic. Sir. W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To yield or recede; to give place; to show respect by yielding, uncovering, or the like. [ Written also vale, and veil. ] [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy convenience must vail to thy neighbor's necessity. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who vails. [ Obs. ] Overbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An outer, or exterior, wall. See Vauntmure. [ Obs. ] Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Vainer superl. Vainest. ] [ F. vain, L. vanus empty, void, vain. Cf. Vanish, Vanity, Vaunt to boast. ] 1. Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying. “Thy vain excuse.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every man walketh in a vain show. Ps. xxxix. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let no man deceive you with vain words. Eph. v. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vain pomp, and glory of this world, I hate ye! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Destitute of force or efficacy; effecting no purpose; fruitless; ineffectual; as, vain toil; a vain attempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bring no more vain oblations. Isa. i. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vain is the force of man
To crush the pillars which the pile sustain. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Proud of petty things, or of trifling attainments; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason; conceited; puffed up; inflated. [ 1913 Webster ]

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? James ii. 20 (Rev. Ver.). [ 1913 Webster ]

The minstrels played on every side,
Vain of their art. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Showy; ostentatious. [ 1913 Webster ]

Load some vain church with old theatric state. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Empty; worthless; fruitless; ineffectual; idle; unreal; shadowy; showy; ostentatious; light; inconstant; deceitful; delusive; unimportant; trifling. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Vanity; emptiness; -- now used only in the phrase
in vain. [ 1913 Webster ]

For vain. See In vain. [ Obs. ] Shak. --
In vain, to no purpose; without effect; ineffectually. “ In vain doth valor bleed.” Milton. “ In vain they do worship me.” Matt. xv. 9. --
To take the name of God in vain, to use the name of God with levity or profaneness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Feeling or indicating vainglory; elated by vanity; boastful. “Arrogant and vainglorious expression.” Sir M. Hale. -- Vain`glo"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Vain`glo"ri*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Vain + glory. ] Excessive vanity excited by one's own performances; empty pride; undue elation of mind; vain show; boastfulness. [ 1913 Webster ]

He had nothing of vainglory. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

The man's undone forever; for if Hector break not his neck i' the combat, he'll break't himself in vainglory. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a vain manner; in vain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being vain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. vair, from OF. vair, a., L. varius various, variegated. See Various, and cf. Meniver. ] The skin of the squirrel, much used in the fourteenth century as fur for garments, and frequently mentioned by writers of that period in describing the costly dresses of kings, nobles, and prelates. It is represented in heraldry by a series of small shields placed close together, and alternately white and blue. Fairholt. [ 1913 Webster ]

No vair or ermine decked his garment. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Counter vair (Her.), a fur resembling vair, except in the arrangement of the patches or figures. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. vairé. See Vair, n. ] (Her.) Charged with vair; variegated with shield-shaped figures. See Vair. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Skr. vaish&nsdot_;ava. ] (Hindu Myth.) A worshiper of the god Vishnu in any of his incarnations. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The worship of Vishnu. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Skr. vaiçya. ] The third of the four great original castes among the Hindus, now either extinct or partially represented by the mercantile class of Banyas. See the Note under Caste, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. vayvode. See Waywode. ] See Waywode. [ 1913 Webster ]