AVAIL
What does "AVAIL" mean?
To be of use or benefit; or, reflexively, to make use of something.
Meanings
- To help or benefit; to be of use (often in the negative, 'to no avail'). All his pleading did not avail against the committee's decision. formal
- To make use of, in the reflexive 'avail oneself of'. Guests may avail themselves of the spa at no extra cost. formal
- Use, benefit, or advantage (chiefly in 'of no avail' or 'to little avail'). She tried every remedy, but to no avail. formal
Did you know?
- 'Avail' hides the Latin 'valere', 'to be strong or worth' - the same root inside 'value', 'valid', 'valor', and 'convalesce'. To avail is, at root, to be worth something.
Word origin
From Middle English, from Anglo-French, built on Latin 'valere' ('to be strong, be worth'); the same root that gives 'value', 'valid', and 'valor'.
Remember it
AVAIL holds 'AVAILable' - what avails you is what's available and worth using.
A little poem
He knocked all night against the iron door;
the knocking, true and tireless, served no more.
couplet
What it teaches
Effort that helps nothing still proves something: that you refused to do nothing.
Quick facts
What does AVAIL mean?
To be of use or benefit; or, reflexively, to make use of something.
Is AVAIL a valid word?
Yes — AVAIL is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is AVAIL?
AVAIL has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does AVAIL come from?
From Middle English, from Anglo-French, built on Latin 'valere' ('to be strong, be worth'); the same root that gives 'value', 'valid', and 'valor'.
What can AVAIL teach us?
Effort that helps nothing still proves something: that you refused to do nothing.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.