availed

Availed is the past tense and past participle form of the verb avail. It has two main senses: to be of use or benefit, and to make use of something, especially by oneself. In the first sense, it typically appears in negative constructions or in phrases such as “the effort availed us nothing,” meaning it did not help or was not of value. In the second sense, it is used as “availed oneself of” something, meaning to take advantage of or make use of an opportunity, resource, or right.

Etymology and form: The verb derives from Old French availer, from Latin valere meaning “to be strong, to be worth.” The word is related to value and, in its broader family of forms, to words such as valor. Today, availed is most commonly found in formal, literary, or historical contexts; it is less common in everyday speech.

Usage notes: In modern English, speakers often substitute “make use of” or “take advantage of” for the sense of using something. The forms “it avails” or “it will avail you” are formal and comparatively rare, and they carry a nuance of usefulness or benefit. Examples include: “She availed herself of the opportunity,” and “The plan availed him little.” The choice of sense—whether something avails or is availed of—depends on whether the emphasis is on usefulness or on taking advantage of a resource.