All our efforts availed us little in trying to effect a change.
verb (used without object)
2.
to be of use; have force or efficacy; serve; help:
His strength did not avail against the hostile onslaught.
3.
to be of value or profit.
noun
4.
advantage; use; efficacy; effective use in the achievement of a goal or objective:
His belated help will be of little or no avail.
5.
avails, Archaic. profits or proceeds.
Idioms
6.
avail oneself of, to use to one's advantage:
They availed themselves of the opportunity to hear a free concert.
Origin
1250-1300;Middle Englishavaile, equivalent to a-a-2 + vaile < Old Frenchvail- (stem of valoir) < Latinvalēre to be of worth
Related forms
availingly, adverb
unavailed, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for avail oneself of
avail
/əˈveɪl/
verb
1.
to be of use, advantage, profit, or assistance (to)
2.
avail oneself of, to make use of to one's advantage
noun
3.
use or advantage (esp in the phrases of no avail, to little avail)
Derived Forms
availingly, adverb
Word Origin
C13 availen, from vailen, from Old French valoir, from Latin valēre to be strong, prevail
Word Origin and History for avail oneself of
avail
v.
c.1300, availen, apparently a French compound formed in English from Old French a- "to" (see ad-) + vailen "to avail," from vaill-, present stem of valoir "be worth," from Latin valere (see valiant). Related: Availed; availing. As a noun, from c.1400.
Idioms and Phrases with avail oneself of
avail oneself of
.
Take advantage of, benefit by. For example, To get a better mortgage, he availed himself of the employee credit union. [ Late 1500s ]
.
Use, employ, as in I'll avail myself of the first cab to come along. [ Mid-1800s ]
avail
In addition to the idiom beginning with avail also see:to no avail