avail

Meaning

Verb

1. To turn to the advantage of.
2. To be of service to.
3. To promote; to assist.
4. To be of use or advantage; to answer or serve the purpose; to have strength, force, or efficacy sufficient to accomplish the object.
5. To provide; to make available; to use or take advantage of (an opportunity or available resource).

Noun

1. Effect in achieving a goal or aim; purpose, use (now usually in negative constructions).
2. Proceeds; profits from business transactions.
3. An advertising slot or package.
4. A press avail.
5. Non-binding notice of availability for work.
6. A readily available stock of oil.
7. (obsolete) Benefit; value, profit; advantage toward success.
8. 1895, Andrew Lang, A Monk of Fife
9. 1895, Andrew Lang, A Monk of Fife:
   So this friar, unworthy as he was of his holy calling, had me at an avail on every side, nor do I yet see what I could do but obey him, as I did.
10. (obsolete) Effort; striving.

Adj

Clipping of available.

Synonyms

benefit

help

profit

use

assist

aid

utility

advantage

utilize

support

succour

advance

serve

attend to

accommodate

subserve

act

service

relief

capitalise

make use of

move

operate

piggyback

prevail

produce

promote

pull through

reclaim

remedy

result

squeeze

stead

succor

succorer

take action

take advantage of

tap

utilise

work

worth

be effective

be efficacious

be of use

cash in on

do good to

have effect

helping hand

jump at

pull strings

take advantage

abuse

benefact

serve well

good

👍

succourer

acceptable

account

affect

assistance

bring through

carry through

do good

effect

employ

exploit

favour

feed

gain

hand

✋

help out

impact

impinge

interest

lift

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈveɪl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: availen

In summary

From Middle English availen (“to be of use”), from Old French a (“to”) + vail from valoir (“to be worth”), from Latin valere (“to be worthy, strong”).