# avail

Pronunciation: say "uh-VAYL" /əˈveɪl/

## Noun

1. Usefulness or effect in achieving an aim or purpose, now usually in negative constructions.
   - Simple: Use or success in reaching a goal, usually in phrases that say something did not work.
   - _Rescue teams searched the flooded valley for two days, to no avail._
   - _Her warnings were of little avail once the crowd started to panic._
7. A press availability: a session at which a politician or official takes questions from reporters. *(US)*
   - Simple: A meeting where a politician or official answers questions from news reporters.
   - _The campaign squeezed a ten-minute avail into the schedule before the rally._
   - _At Tuesday's avail, the governor refused to answer questions about the budget._
8. A slot for a commercial in a broadcast schedule, or a package of commercial slots offered to an advertiser.
   - Simple: A time slot for a TV ad, or a group of ad slots offered to a business.
   - _The sales rep sent the car dealer an avail of twenty spots during weekend sports._
   - _The system inserts a local commercial automatically whenever the network feed reaches an avail._
9. A non-binding notice that a performer is available for work. *(British)*
   - Simple: A message, not a promise, that an actor is free to take a job.
   - _The casting director asked three agents for avails for the second week of June._
   - _An avail commits nobody, so he kept auditioning for other parts._
10. Proceeds, or the profits made from business transactions. *(US)*
   - Simple: The money or profit that comes from selling or doing business.
   - _Under the will, the avails of the house sale were divided among the three children._
   - _The lawsuit turned on who was entitled to the avails of the partnership's last contracts._
11. A stock of oil that is readily available.
   - Simple: A supply of oil that is ready and easy to get.
   - _Refiners that pump their own crude still buy cargoes to top up their avails._
   - _Gulf Coast crude avails tightened after two tankers were delayed by the storm._

## Verb

2. To use something to one's own advantage, often in the reflexive construction avail oneself of.
   - Simple: To use a chance or something offered so that it helps you.
   - _Hotel guests may avail themselves of the rooftop pool until 10 p.m._
   - _Few tenants availed themselves of the free legal advice the city offered._
3. To be of use or advantage, to serve the purpose, or to have enough force or effect to accomplish what is intended.
   - Simple: To be useful, or to work well enough to get the result you want.
   - _Only swift surgery could avail to save the climber's leg._
   - _Neither threats nor bribes availed, and the witness kept silent._
4. To be of service or help to someone.
   - Simple: To help someone or be useful to them.
   - _No clever excuse will avail you in front of the review board._
   - _His years of experience availed him nothing once the company changed hands._
6. To provide something or make it available, or to use or take advantage of an opportunity or resource. *(Africa, India)*
   - Simple: To give or offer something, or to use a chance or service that is offered.
   - _Senior citizens can avail a fifty per cent concession on railway tickets._
   - _The microfinance bank has availed loans to over two thousand market traders in Lagos._

## Adjective

5. Clipping of available. *(colloquial)* — Clipping of available.
   - Simple: Short form of available. People say it in casual talk.
   - _Let me know when you're avail for a quick call._
   - _Sorry, the room isn't avail until Thursday, so can we push the meeting?_

## Noun

12. Benefit, value or profit; an advantage that helps toward success. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Benefit or profit, or something that helps you succeed.
   - _Every treaty the duke signed was meant for his country's avail._
   - _The merchants pooled their ships for their common avail._
13. Effort, or the act of striving. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Hard work, or trying hard to do something.

## Other meanings

- (verb) To promote or assist someone or something.

## Origin

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”).

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/avail (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).