to no avail
to no avail
Having or with very little benefit, efficacy, or effect. We did our best to keep Sarah from finding out the party to no avail. All my protesting over the decision to fire Jeff was to no avail.
See also: avail, no
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
to no avail
and of no availCliché with no effect; unsuccessful. All of my efforts were to no avail. Everything I did to help was of no avail. Nothing worked.
See also: avail, no
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
to no avail
Also, of little or no avail. Of no use or advantage, ineffective, as in All his shouting was to no avail; no one could hear him, or The life jacket was of little or no avail. This idiom uses avail in the sense of "advantage" or "assistance," a usage dating from the mid-1400s. Also see to little purpose.
See also: avail, no
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
to little/no aˈvail
(formal) with little or no success: The doctors tried everything to keep him alive but to no avail.See also: avail, little, no
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- of no avail
- to little avail
- to little/no avail
- of little avail
- of little/no avail
- be little love lost between (two people)
- be no love lost between (two people)
- talk to the hand
- talk to/tell it to the hand
- make (someone or something) available to (one)