a. Also 5–6 advayl-, au- avayl, 6–7 auail-, au- avayle-, au- availeable. [f. AVAIL v. + -ABLE.]
I. That may avail. arch.
1. Capable of producing a desired result; of avail, effectual, efficacious, arch. or Obs. exc. as in b.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), III. iii. 162. Yt wyll make his prayers avaylable.
1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 67. That the mass is a sacrifice available for quick and dead.
1605. Timme, Quersit., I. iii. 63. That oyle … being as auailable against the falling sicknesse as vitriol.
a. 1699. Lady Halkett, Autobiog., 32. Nothing I could do could be available.
b. in Law. Valid.
1451. Scotch Hom., in Rymer’s Foedera (1710), XI. 291. Most advaylable in the Law.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 106 a. A release is not avaylable to the tenant … but where a privitye is betwene him, and him yt releaseth.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 453. After which the bill is held as confessed and au[a]ileable.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 275. And all charges by him lawfully made … shall be good and available in law.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., v. § 1. 207. Leasehold interests became rights of property (or rights available not only against the lessor, but also against all the world).
2. Of advantage; serviceable, beneficial, profitable (to, unto). arch. (The last quotation passes into 3.)
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. v. D iv. To be pietous in herte … is avaylable to alle thyng.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, I. ii. 13. It shall be wonderfull auaileable for him to reade Histories.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. IV. vii. § 1. 248. His Mother Veturia, and Volumnia his Wife … were more auaileable to Rome, than was any force of Armes.
1836. Recoll. Ho. Lords, xvi. 389. Where fair argument is available to his side of the question … he does not have recourse to sophistry.
II. That may be ‘availed of.’
3. Capable of being employed with advantage or turned to account; hence, capable of being made use of, at one’s disposal, within one’s reach.
1827. Faraday, Exp. Res., xli. § 12. 226. This quantity is … wholly available in the liquid when used as a bleaching agent.
1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., x. 476. The epistle to the Romans … is available as proof.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 12. 86. We spent every available hour upon the ice.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., xv. 213. Lenders … wish … to have their assets as available as they can.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. 386. There was no available candidate of the old princely line.
