Search Result for "avail": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a means of serving;
- Example: "of no avail"
- Example: "there's no help for it"
[syn: avail, help, service]


VERB (3)

1. use to one's advantage;
- Example: "He availed himself of the available resources"

2. be of use to, be useful to;
- Example: "It will avail them to dispose of their booty"

3. take or use;
- Example: "She helped herself to some of the office supplies"
[syn: avail, help]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Avail \A*vail"\, 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]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Avail \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. [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]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Avail \A*vail"\, v. t. & i. See Avale, v. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Avail \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. [1913 Webster] Words avail very little with me, young man. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

avail n 1: a means of serving; "of no avail"; "there's no help for it" [syn: avail, help, service] v 1: use to one's advantage; "He availed himself of the available resources" 2: be of use to, be useful to; "It will avail them to dispose of their booty" 3: take or use; "She helped herself to some of the office supplies" [syn: avail, help]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

105 Moby Thesaurus words for "avail": abet, account, advance, advantage, aid, answer, applicability, appositeness, appropriateness, assist, bail out, be equal to, be handy, be of use, bear, bear a hand, befriend, behalf, behoof, benefit, benison, bestead, blessing, boon, break no bones, comfort, convenience, do, do good, do it, do no harm, do the trick, doctor, ease, favor, fill, fill the bill, fitness, fulfill, gain, get by, give a boost, give a hand, give a lift, give good returns, give help, go around, good, hack it, help, hold, interest, just do, lend a hand, lend one aid, make the grade, meet, meet requirements, pass, pass muster, pay, pay off, percentage, point, proffer aid, profit, protect, qualify, rally, reach, reclaim, redeem, relevance, relieve, remedy, render assistance, rescue, restore, resuscitate, revive, satisfy, save, serve, serve the purpose, service, serviceability, set up, stand, stand up, stretch, succor, suffice, suitability, take in tow, take it, use, usefulness, value, welfare, well-being, work, work for, world of good, worth, yield a profit
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

AVAIL. Profits of land; hence tenant paravail is one in actual possession, who makes avail or profits of the land. Ham. N. P. 393.