vt. & vi.有帮助；有益；有用(formal or old-fashioned)to be helpful or useful to sb

　～ nothing　毫无用处
　～ little　几乎没有用处
　～ much　很有用处
　～ quickly　迅速利用
　～ against　克服…而成功
　～ oneself of　利用，使用
　～ upon　欺骗，利用

　All his efforts did not avail.　他做的所有的这些努力都是没有用的。
　Money does not avail on a desert island.　金钱在荒岛上没有用处。
　The speediest succour might avail to the preservation of his life.　赶紧抢救也许能保住他的生命。
　The murderer's entreaties for mercy availed to nothing.　无人理会杀人犯的求饶。
　Talk will avail little without work.　光说不做没有什么用处。
　Money will not avail you after you are dead.　人一死，有钱也白搭。
　Guests are encouraged to avail themselves of the full range of hotel facilities.　旅馆鼓励旅客充分利用各种设施。
　The old library is still being availed of.　这座古老的图书馆仍在被利用着。
　She was availed upon for gain.　她被人用作捞钱的工具。
　Our efforts availed us nothing.　我们的努力归于无用。
　All his efforts avail him little.　他的一番努力不大起作用。
　All our efforts to save the burning building availed us little.　我们竭尽全力去把正在燃烧的建筑物的大火扑灭，这对于我们来说没有多大用处。
　This proud tradition now avails them well in their present struggles.　这一光荣传统在他们目前的斗争中起着很大作用。

 ♣ avail against　(v.+prep.)
　〈正〉敌得住，在反击…中有效　overcome sth and success
　Nothing could avail against the enemy attack.　无法遏制敌人的进攻。
　Courage could not avail against the enemy fire.　骁勇不足以对抗敌军炮火。
　It won't avail against the heavy odds we face.　与我们对手的巨大优势相争是徒劳的。
　His eagerness will not avail against the fitness and skill of his opponent.　他求胜心切，但这并不能抵挡得住对手的健壮与技艺。
　The medicine did not avail against the disease.　这种药对这种病没有疗效。
　What can avail against the storm?　用什么来抵挡风暴?
 ♣ avail oneself of
　利用，运用　make use of; take advantage of sth
　I gladly avail myself of your offer.　我很乐意接受你的帮忙。
　I haven't felt inclined to avail myself of your kind offer.　我还不想接受你好心的建议。
　Far from resenting such tutelage I am only too glad to avail myself of it.　我决不憎恨这种教育，相反，我十分高兴对它加以利用。
　I failed to avail myself of this opportunity.　我没有利用这次机会。
　I should like to avail myself of this opportunity to express my gratitude to you.　我愿借此机会向您表示感谢。
　You must avail yourself of every opportunity to speak English.　你必须利用一切机会说英语。
　Employees should avail themselves of the opportunity to buy cheap shares in the company.　雇员应该把握机会购买公司的廉价股份。
　When writing papers, most of college students avail themselves of the books in the public library.　多数大学生写论文时都借助公共图书馆的书籍。
　Only a few companies have availed themselves of the free training programme.　只有几家公司利用了这项免费培训方案。
　There's moral in everything, if we would only avail ourselves of it.　只要我们善于吸取，从每件事情中都可以吸取教训。
　We must avail ourselves of any financial support we can get.　我们必须利用我们所能取得的一切经济支援。
　We avail ourselves of this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to you.　我们借此机会向你们表示衷心的感谢。
　He quickly availed himself of the opportunity.　他迅速利用那次机会。
　He availed himself of the opportunity to speak to her.　他乘机与她攀谈。

 ♣ avail, benefit
　这组词都有“对…有益；受益”的意思。其区别是：
1. avail带有陈腐或书卷味，除历史小说和布道等使用外，在其他文件中罕见，强调功效或效力。
2. benefit通常侧重改善或优化个人状况，也可能含水量有“丰富或推进个人目的”的意思。
 ♣ avail, use, utilize
　这组词都有“处理某事物，使她具有实际价值，或服务于自己或他人”的意思，其区别是：
1. avail指使用手边或就近的人或物，使有利于自己。
2. use指将某人或某物作为一种手段或工具使用，以达到目的，被使用的东西可以是具体的，也可以是抽象的。
3. utilize强调有利可图或能达到的某个实际目标。

U 效用；利益；帮助good result; advantage; use

　avail　通常用于否定式或疑问式。

　much ～　大有用处
　be not of much ～　没有多大用处
　without ～　没有什么成果

　Of what avail is crying over spilt milk? 　牛奶已打翻，哭又有何用?
　Of what avail is it to save him from his folly? 　你要阻止他干蠢事，又有什么用?
　We tried everything to keep the little dog alive but to without avail.　我们曾竭尽全力抢救这只小狗的生命，但徒劳无功。

 ♣ of little〔no〕 avail
　没有什么用处；没有用　(formal)of little or no use
　All his efforts were of little avail.　他的所有努力都没有什么用处。
　Your ability to argue is of little avail if the facts are wrong.　如果论据是错的，你的辩论也没有什么用了。
　It is of no avail to say such a thing.　现在说这些话没用。
　Crying is of no avail now.　现在哭也没有用了。
　Speeches and protests were of no avail.　演说和抗议都毫无用处。
　The doctors' efforts to save the child were of no avail.　医生为救这个孩子所做的全都白费了。
　The strike was of no avail in forcing a settlement.　这次罢工对问题的解决毫无帮助。
　They tried artificial respiration but it was of no avail.　他们试做人工呼吸，可是无效。
 ♣ to little〔no〕 avail
　〈正〉没有什么效果；不成功with little or no success
　We've economized as much as possible, but to little great avail, since we still owe a lot of money.　我们尽可能节俭，但没什么用，因为我们仍然欠了一大笔债。
　His words of encouragement were to no avail.　他的那些鼓励的话丝毫没有作用。
　The doctors tried everything to keep him alive but to no avail.　医生千方百计想使他活下来，但无济于事。
　He tried to revive her but to no avail.　他极力想让她苏醒过来，但是没有成功。
　I tried to persuade her not to resign, but to no avail.　我劝她不要辞职，但她不听我的。
　We tried and tried, but it was all to no avail.　我们试了又试，但是毫无效果。
　They have searched everywhere for the missing child, but to no avail.　他们到处寻找那个失踪的孩子，但是徒劳无功。

 ♣ avail, use
　这组词都有“一种有用的或有价值的目标、结果、目的”的意思。其区别是：
1. avail强调所获结果的效力或实际价值。
2. use强调为某个具有实际价值的目的而使用或利用。

　［词源］benefit, use