Avail

v. t. [imp. & p. p. AVAILED; p. pr. & vb. n. AVAILING.] [O. Fr., from a and valoir, valer, valeir, Lat. ad and valere, to be strong, to be worth; Pr. & Sp. valer, It. valere. See infra.] 1. To turn to the advantage of; to profit; to benefit;—used reflexively with of before the thing used; as, let him avail himself of his license. Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names. Milton. 2. To assist or aid; as, what will skill avail us against numbers? artifices will not avail the sinner in the day of judgment. O, what avails me now that honor high! Milton.

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; suppositions, without proof, will not avail.

But to convince the proud what signs avail? Milton.

n. [N. Fr. availle, Kelham.]

1Sense 1. Profit; advantage toward success; benefit; as, labor, without economy, is of little avail.

The avail of a death-bed repentance. Bp. Taylor.

2Sense 2. pl. Profits or proceeds; as, the avails of a sale at auction. “The avails of their own industry.” Stoddard.

Synonyms—Use; benefit; utility; profit; service.

To become lowered; to avale. See AVALE. [Obs.] Spenser.