a. Obs. Forms: α. 4–7 vailable, 5–6 vaylable: 5 vaill-, 5–6 vayllable (6 veyll-); 5–6 vaile-, 6 vayleable; 5 waleable (Sc. walable), 6 valeable (Sc. valabill). β. 6 Sc. vailȝieabill, valiabill, -able, 7 Sc. valliable. [f. VAIL v.1 + -ABLE. Cf. AVAILABLE a.]
1. Of avail, advantage, or benefit; availing, advantageous, beneficial, profitable, etc.; effectual, efficacious. a. Const. for, to (unto), or with inf.
(a) 1390. Gower, Conf., III. 136. Wordes that ben resonable, And for this art schal be vailable. Ibid., 198. To al the lond it is vailable Only thurgh grace of his persone.
c. 1407. Lydg., Reson & Sens., 948. The Ryvers … wern also ful profitable And vn-to manne ryght vayllable.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 88 b/2. Holy oylle … whiche is moche vayllable to thelthe of sykenesses of many men.
1530. Palsgr., 794. Every exemple is as vayllable to the lerner, as thoughe I gave a rule.
1561. Godly Q. Hester (1873), 57. The dayly prayer of that hole secte … Eke holy ceremonies of gods prouiseon To god is vaileable.
(b) 1390. Gower, Conf., III. 233. Thei tuo [sc. pity and justice] remuen alle vice, And ben of vertu most vailable To make a kinges regne stable.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W., 1495), I. xxxiv. 28 b/2. It is moche better & more vaylable to dispose & applie hym to folow thother gode maners & vertues of the holy faders.
1565. Harding, in Jewel, Def. Apol. (1611), 443. For the promise with the deliuery is more vaileable to transfer my right in the horse, then my promise alone.
b. Without const.
c. 1400. Gower, in Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 8. Aboute a kyng good counseil is to preise, Above alle othre thinges most vailable.
c. 1470[?]. G. Ashby, Active Policy, 475. Whether thei [i.e., servants] be good or nat vailable.
1530. Palsgr., Ep. p. v. Howe soever veyllable my poore dilygence hath ben.
1544. Betham, Precepts War, I. cxlix. H ij b. Therefore let the capitaine be sure to haue some man vaileable in feates and strength.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng., II. iv. The souldier might bee kept in more strait obedience, without which neuer Captaine can doe any thing vaileable in the warres.
c. Sc. Morally profitable or allowable.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 301. A prince suld be amesurit to tak delytis fleschly, nocht vaillable.
a. 1500. Ratis Raving, etc., 3663. Kep thaim fra delyt nocht walable, And fra al deid dishonorable.
2. Legally valid or effective.
α. 1433–4. Rolls of Parlt., V. 437/2. In the same Parlement … her seid demenyng of the seid Revenues of the Feoffament be declared as for good and vaillable. Ibid. (1451), 214/1. That the Acte made … be vaillable and stond in strengh and force.
1563–4. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 262. Grantis the samin redemptioun als valabill as gif ane decrete of the Lordis of Counsale wer gevin.
1592. Wyrley, Armorie, 18. The law did then take the said grant to be good and vailable.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1683), 403. Whereby it doth plainly appear, that the Sentence given by the Pope to the contrary was not vailable.
1652. Wadsworth, trans. Sandoval’s Civ. Wars Spain, 9. Adriano’s Commission was dated long before Don Ferdinando’s deceas, therefore not valeable.
β. 1565. Inchaffray Charters (S.H.S.), 162. All fredomes … be als valiable and of als greit strenth, force, and effect … as gif [etc.].
c. 1575. Balfour’s Practicks (1754), 456. Reversioun is vailȝieabill to redeme the landis fra ony possessour thairof.
3. Sc. Of sufficient means; solvent. rare.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 77. Gif the debtour confessis the debt, and is not valliable in gudes and geir, to pay the samine. Ibid., 80. Gif the borgh may proue that the principall debtour is vailable.
