A*vail" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Availed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Availing.] [OE. availen, fr. F. &?; (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.
O, what avails me now that honor high !
Milton.
2. To promote; to assist. [Obs.]
Pope.
To avail one's self of, to make use of; take
advantage of.
Then shall they seek to avail themselves of
names.
Milton.
I have availed myself of the very first
opportunity.
Dickens.
A*vail", 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.
Words avail very little with me, young man.
Sir W. Scott.
A*vail" (&?;), n. 1.
Profit; advantage toward success; benefit; value; as, labor, without
economy, is of little avail.
The avail of a deathbed repentance.
Jer. Taylor.
2. pl. Proceeds; as, the avails of a
sale by auction.
The avails of their own industry.
Stoddard.
Syn. -- Use; benefit; utility; profit; service.
A*vail", v. t. & i. See Avale,
v. [Obs.] Spenser.
