a·vail  (ə-vāl')  v. a·vailed, a·vail·ing, a·vails v. tr. To be of use or advantage to; help: Nothing could avail the dying patient. v. intr. To be of use, value, or advantage; serve: Halfway measures will no longer avail. n. Use, benefit, or advantage: labored to no avail. [Middle English availen : a-, intensive pref. (from Latin ad-; see ad-) + Old French valoir, vail-, to be worth (from Latin valēre, to be strong; see wal- in Indo-European roots).] a·vail'ing·ly adv. |