avail (2009-10-07)

Part of Speech: verb

Pronunciation: [ê-'veyl]

Definition: To make use of; to take advantage of.

Usage: This is a word that can relieve the puny verb "get" of its excessive duties in the English language. "My professor generously availed himself of the ideas of my term paper in the article that made his career" is more expressive than "he got his ideas from my paper." "I plan to avail myself of the goodwill of my neighbors when I paint my house."

Suggested Usage: Usually this verb connotes someone taking unfair advantage of an opportunity in order to advance their own goals. The semantic relation to "available" is now stretched to the breaking point. An "available item" is hardly one that avails itself any more as a result of the new sense the verb has assumed.

Etymology: Middle English, probably from a- (intensive prefix from Latin ad-) + vailen, "to avail," from Old French valoir, "to be of worth," from Latin valere "to be strong, well." Also found in English "valid," "invalid," "valedictorian," "valor," "valiant."