avail

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 ]

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 ]