avail (redirected from availing nothing)

avail yourself of something

to use something for your own benefit. Many students avail themselves of government loan programs to help pay for college.

to no avail

without any benefit or result. The boy pushed against the door to no avail — something heavy was holding it shut.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the phrase to little avail having almost no benefit or result: Security forces tried to disperse the crowd, but to little avail.only 0.6 for 'little avail' and it shd really be its own id, not a usage note, but I've not suppressed it for now - PH, 1/02.