avail
/ə'veil/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Use, benefit, or advantage: "Avail" refers to something that is helpful, beneficial, or of use in achieving a purpose. It is often used in formal or literary contexts.
Verb:
- To be of use, value, or profit; to help: As a verb, "avail" means to provide a benefit or to be useful in a given situation.
- To make use of; to take advantage of: When used reflexively ("to avail oneself of"), it means to use an opportunity or resource for one's benefit.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- His efforts were of no avail. (His efforts were useless/unsuccessful.)
- She checked every store, but to no avail. (She checked every store, but without success.)
Verb:
- Nothing could avail the dying patient. (Nothing could help or benefit the dying patient.)
- You should avail yourself of this opportunity to learn. (You should take advantage of this opportunity to learn.)
Advanced Usage
"Of no/little avail": useless; of no help or benefit.
- All our protests were of little avail. (All our protests were largely ineffective.)
"To little avail": with little or no success or benefit.
- He argued his point, but to little avail. (He argued his point, but it was mostly unsuccessful.)
"Without avail": without success; fruitlessly.
- They searched without avail for the missing document. (They searched unsuccessfully for the missing document.)
Variants and Related Words
Available (adj): able to be used or obtained; at someone's disposal.
- The manager is not available at the moment. (The manager cannot be contacted or seen at the moment.)
Availability (n): the state of being able to be used or obtained.
- The availability of clean water is crucial. (The fact that clean water can be obtained is crucial.)
Synonyms
- Noun: Use, benefit, advantage, help, profit.
- Verb: Help, benefit, profit, serve, assist.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
- Avail oneself of: This is the primary phrasal construction. It means to make use of an opportunity or resource.
- Students are encouraged to avail themselves of the library's resources. (Students are encouraged to use the library's resources.)
Related Idioms
To no avail: without any success or positive result.
- He tried to fix the computer, but to no avail. (He tried to fix the computer, but it was unsuccessful.)
Of what avail?: (Rhetorical/Literary) Of what use or benefit is it?
- Of what avail is wealth without health? (What is the use of wealth if you do not have health?)
Noun
- a means of serving
- of no avail
- there's no help for it
Verb
- take or use
- She helped herself to some of the office supplies
- be of use to, be useful to
- It will avail them to dispose of their booty
- use to one's advantage
- He availed himself of the available resources