avail

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1. The noun is used frequently in the somewhat literary phrases of no avail and to little/no avail, meaning 'having little or no use or effective result', and poses no problems.

2. There are also straightforward verb uses that are also slightly formal or literary in flavour, as in Words avail very little with him and His good works availed him nothing, and the reflexive use avail oneself of as in to avail oneself of opportunities. The reflexive construction is also found in the passive, especially in American English:

Individual contracts may not be availed of to defeat or delay the procedure—Legal Times, 1982.

In British English this use should be avoided in favour of words such as use, exploit, employ, and utilize.

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verb

To be an advantage to: advantage, benefit, profit, serve. Archaic boot. Idioms: stand someone in good stead. See help/harm/harmless.

noun

1. The quality of being suitable or adaptable to an end: account, advantage, benefit, profit, use, usefulness, utility. See used/unused.
2. Something beneficial: advantage, benefit, blessing, boon, favor, gain, profit. See help/harm/harmless.

In addition to the idiom beginning with avail, also see to no avail.

IN BRIEF: n. - A means of serving. v. - Use to one's advantage; Take or use; Be of use to, be useful to.

For what avail the plough or sail Or land or life, if freedom fail? — Ralph Waldo Emerson, Source: Boston. Albert W. Daw Collection

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See words rhyming with "avail."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Avail.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - hjælpe, nytte
v. intr. - bistå, gavne, være til nytte
n. - nytte, brug, gavn

idioms:

• avail oneself of    benytte sig af, drage fordel af
• be of no avail    ikke være til nogen nytte, ikke være til nogen hjælp

Nederlands (Dutch)
baten, voordeel hebben (van), nuttig zijn, baat, nut, opbrengst

Français (French)
v. tr. - saisir, profiter de, user de, valoir de, (Jur) invoquer
v. intr. - être efficace, servir (arch)
n. - utilité, résultat, effet

idioms:

• avail oneself of    profiter de, saisir, user de, valoir de, (Jur) invoquer
• of no avail    être inutile, n'avoir aucun effet
• to no avail    n'avoir aucun effet/aucun résultat

Deutsch (German)
v. - nützen
n. - Nutzen

idioms:

• avail oneself of    benutzen
• of no avail    nutzlos sein
• to no avail    vergebens

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ωφελώ, εξυπηρετώ
n. - πλεονέκτημα, όφελος, χρησιμότητα, ωφέλεια

idioms:

• avail oneself of    επωφελούμαι
• be of no avail    είμαι ανώφελος

Italiano (Italian)
giovare

idioms:

• avail oneself of    servirsi di
• be of no avail    essere inutile

Português (Portuguese)
v. - ajudar, beneficiar(-se), ser útil, servir
n. - utilidade (f), vantagem (f)

idioms:

• avail oneself of    beneficiar-se de
• be of no avail    não ser de utilidade

Русский (Russian)
быть полезным

idioms:

• avail oneself of    использовать
• be of no avail    не принести пользу, быть бесполезным

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - valer, servir
v. intr. - ser útil, valerse, servirse
n. - aval, garantía

idioms:

• avail oneself of    aprovecharse de, sacar partido de
• of no avail    ser inservible, ser inútil, sin efecto
• to no avail    ser inservible, ser inútil, sin efecto

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - använda, hjälpa
n. - nytta, vinst, inkomst

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
有用于, 有助于, 有益于, 有帮助, 有用, 效用, 帮助, 利益, 利润

idioms:

• avail oneself of    利用
• be of no avail    无益, 无用, 没有帮助, 不起作用

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 有用於, 有助於, 有益於
v. intr. - 有幫助, 有益於, 有用
n. - 效用, 幫助, 利益, 利潤

idioms:

• avail oneself of    利用
• be of no avail    無益, 無用, 沒有幫助, 不起作用

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - ~에 도움이 되다
v. intr. - 쓸모 있다
n. - 효용[능]

idioms:

• avail oneself of    을 이용하다
• be of no avail    전혀 쓸모가 없다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 役に立つ, 役立つ
n. - 利益

idioms:

• avail oneself of    利用する, 乗ずる
• be of no avail    全く役に立たない

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) ينفع, يفيد (الاسم) فائده, منفعه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮עזר, סייע‬
v. intr. - ‮הועיל, סייע, ניצל, הרוויח, הביא רווח‬
n. - ‮רווח, יתרון, תועלת‬

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