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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AVAIL(L), n.

1. Worth, value; property, means.Sc. 1747 Nairne Peerage Evidence (1873) 79:
The goods and gear following of the availls and prices aftermentd.Ags. 1719 Private Paper (per Fif.1):
The adequat and agreed price worth and availl of the said Tenement.Lnk. 1838 McIlwham Papers Letter i. 11:
What's the avail o' yer innocence, whan the innocence o' a haill kirk o' martyrs can get nae protection frae the calumnies o' Jesuits and priests.

2. Avail of Marriage. (See quot.)Sc. 1890 Bell's Dict. Law Scot. 80:
Avail of Marriage, was the sum formerly payable to the superior by the heir of a deceased ward vassal, on his becoming marriageable.Sc. 1932 A.C.M.:
Abolished along with the Tenure of Ward 20 Geo. II. Cap. 50.

[Avail as a noun = value, profits, is now obs. or arch. in St.Eng. It was common in O.Sc. as n. and v, avail, avale. The simple form vail with variant spellings was used also in O.Sc. Vail, from Fr. vaille, strong form of valoir; Lat. valēre, to be strong.]

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