Obs. Forms: α. 4–6 vayle (4 uayle), 5–6 vaylle (5 waylle); 4–6 vaille, 4–7 vaile, 5–6 vale; 4–6 vayl, 5–6 vayll; 4–7 (9) vail (4 wail), 4–6 vaill (5–6 waill). β. north. and Sc. 4 vaily, 5 wayly; 5–6 vailȝe, valȝe, wailȝe (6 velȝe, welȝe). [ad. OF. vail, vaill, 1st pers. pres. indic., or vail-, vaill-, subj. and participial stem of valoir to be of value or worth:—L. valēre. Cf. AVAIL v.]
1. intr. To have might or power; to prevail.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7375. His faas sal noght a-gain him wail [Fairf. vaily], For him ne his sal i noght fail.
2. To be of use or service; to avail or profit: a. Used impersonally with it.
Usu. in negative or interrogative sentences and freq. with infinitive compl.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 9471. Yn erytage nat long hyt vayleþ, Þe þred eyre leseþ, þat ouþer trauayleþ.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VIII. 37. In a tyme an holy man blamed hym for þat dede, and it vayled nouȝt.
c. 1400. Beryn, 3883. ‘What vaylith it,’ quod hanybald, ‘to angir or to curs?’
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 6160. Whan she sawh yt wayllede nouht Mor to maken resistence.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., 35. Where is no reason it vayleth not to chatter.
1592. W. Wyrley, Armorie, 119. What booteth it of Gentries brag to boast, What vaileth it, old ensignes foorth to show?
1601. Weever, Mirr. Mart., E j. What vaileth it a lion be a king Closely shut vp within this tower of stone.
b. With other subjects.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 3646. Ay, while he is in dedly syn, His help vailles noght, bot es in vayne.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 89. Thurgh this science it is ful soght, Which vaileth and which vaileth noght.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 26. Withoute trouth what vailith high noblesse?
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 178. Gif be the benefice of sauf condyte vaillis nocht, never man wald traist efter in sauf condyt.
1522. Skelton, Why not to Court, 101. Ther vayleth no resonynge, For wyll dothe rule all thynge.
1568. T. Howell, Arb. Amitie (1879), 66. What vailes the glittering Golde, when loue is forcde to flee.
1608. Topsell, Serpents (1658), 791. Small was the bodies band, And of the Lizards poysonous, this least in shape did vail.
c. Const. to (a person or thing). Cf. 3.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5765. To hym not vailith his preching.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 247. To this thynges hit vaillyth moche to haue richesse and glory.
c. 1475. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 284. And yet when suche clothe ys alle ywrowte, To the maker it waylyth lytylle or nowȝtte.
d. Vail que (or quod) vail, vail that vail might [ad. F. vaille que vaille], whatever may (or might) happen, at all hazards; = AVAIL v. 1 c. Chiefly Sc.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IX. 147. Bot gif othir wald thame assalȝe, Thai wald defend, avalȝe que valȝe [Edin. MS. wailȝe que wailȝe].
c. 1475. Partenay, 2672. Vail that vail might, the monkys brend so.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, IX. Prol. 86. Thus, vaill que vaill, ilk gude deyd helpis other.
1530. Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 161. I wyll, said scho, ascend, vailȝe quod vailȝe. Ibid. (1550), Sqr. Meldrum, 951. Now, vailȝe quod vailȝe, Upon the Ladie thow mak ane sailȝe.
3. trans. (Orig. with indirect object.) To be of use, advantage, or benefit to; to aid, assist, or help (a person, etc.): a. With it, or infin. clause.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3640. Bot þou sal do sun mi consail, Wel i wat it sal þe wail.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 8550. Hit hadde the vayled, hadde it be-tid.
c. 1460. Sir R. Ros, La Belle Dame, 720. What vayleth you to schew so gret rygour?
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., i. (Percy Soc.), 7. lt vayled not the bodye for to dispose Against the head.
1596. Lodge, Life & Death W. Longbeard, C j b. What vailes me to compose As many verses as Homer did make?
1813. Scott, Rokeby, II. xxviii. What ’vail’d it him, that brightly play’d The morning sun on Mortham’s glade?
b. With other subjects.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 26147. If þou be stad in suilk a nede For mikil may þe wail þis dede.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 12580. Þer-to algate dos ȝour trauail, & þat we may, we wil ȝow vaille.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 877. xxti slow he of þat rout, þat non armure ne miȝt hem vaille.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Graal, lii. 900. His defens ne vailled him not sekerly.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 112. The thrid he straik … The crag in twa; no weidis mycht him waill.
a. 1510. Douglas, K. Hart, II. 273. In all disport he may ws gritlie vaill.
1530. Palsgr., 764/2. What vayleth your rychesses you nowe?
a. 1557. Abp. Parker, Ps. I. 2. My goodes can vayle thee nought.
4. Of persons: To be worth in respect of means or wealth.
1576. Reg. Privy Council Scot., Ser. I. II. 520. Ane honest man and baroun vailyeand in landis and gudis mair nor twenty thowsand pundes.
Hence † Vailing ppl. a.1 Obs.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 328. Ane sayndis-man … Wise, vailyeing, and moist of valour.
