availing

IPA/əˈveɪl/
IPA/əˈveɪl/

availing — 動詞

  • availingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • availings3rd person singular
  • availinging-ing form
  • availingedpast simple

1. To give aid or bring about a positive result for a person, group, or situation —

1.動詞及物 / 不及物C2
釋義

見效；有用

提供幫助或產生正面效果

To give aid or bring about a positive result for a person, group, or situation — now mostly found in formal writing and typically used in statements where an action turns out to have no effect.

例句

Hao begged the judge for leniency, but his words availed him nothing.

Hao 向法官請求寬大處理，但他的話毫無效果。

avail + [someone] + nothing — formal negative pattern

All the medicine in the camp availed little against the spreading fever.

營地裡所有的藥物對蔓延的發燒幾乎無效。

avail little against — intransitive use with preposition

同義詞
  • help

    everyday equivalent; lacks the formal, literary quality of 'avail'

  • benefit

    broader in scope; commonly used in both formal and neutral contexts

  • serve

    similar formal tone, but suggests fulfilling a function or purpose

反義詞
  • hinder

    to make something more difficult rather than helpful

文法句型

avail + [someone] + nothing/little

avail + against + [something]

用法筆記

Almost always used in negative or limiting contexts with 'nothing' or 'little.' The subject is usually an action, effort, or quality rather than a person. Rare in spoken English; 'help' or 'work' are the everyday alternatives.

常見錯誤

❌His advice availed me a lot.
✅His advice helped me a lot.
💡'avail' is formal and literary; in everyday contexts, use 'help' or 'benefit' instead.

2. To use an available opportunity, service, or resource for your own benefit — alw

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

利用；把握

主動使用或把握某個機會或資源

To use an available opportunity, service, or resource for your own benefit — always used with a reflexive pronoun such as yourself, himself, or themselves, followed by the word 'of'.

例句

Ezra availed himself of the free legal clinic to sort out his visa.

Ezra 利用了免費法律諮詢服務來處理他的簽證問題。

avail oneself of + [service]

To finish her thesis before the semester ended, Ingrid availed herself of the library's extended hours.

為了在學期結束前完成論文，Ingrid 利用了圖書館延長的開放時間。

fronted purpose clause: To [VP], [subject] availed [reflexive] of [NP]

同義詞
  • use

    everyday equivalent; lacks the formal, deliberate tone of 'avail oneself of'

  • take advantage of

    very close in meaning but less formal; can also carry a negative connotation of exploitation

  • make use of

    neutral and widely used in both speech and writing

反義詞
  • ignore

    to not use or pay attention to something that is available

文法句型

avail oneself of + [opportunity/resource/service]

用法筆記

Always reflexive: you must say 'avail myself/herself/themselves of.' Dropping the reflexive pronoun ('availed of the offer') is incorrect. The object of 'of' is typically an opportunity, resource, or service that is already available.

常見錯誤

❌She availed of the free coffee.
✅She availed herself of the free coffee.
💡Sense 2 always requires a reflexive pronoun (herself, himself, yourself, etc.).

availing — 名詞