advance

[ ad-vans, -vahns ]

/ ædˈvæns, -ˈvɑns /

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See synonyms for: advance / advanced / advances / advancing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), ad·vanced, ad·vanc·ing.

to move or bring forward: The general advanced his troops to the new position.

to bring into consideration or notice; suggest; propose: to advance reasons for a tax cut.

to improve; further: to advance one's interests.

to raise in rank; promote: The board of directors advanced him to president.

to raise in rate or amount; increase: to advance the price.

to bring forward in time; accelerate: to advance growth; to advance clocks one hour.

to supply beforehand; furnish on credit or before goods are delivered or work is done.

to furnish as part of a stock or fund.

to supply or pay in expectation of reimbursement: They advanced her $5000 against future royalties.

to schedule at a later time or date: to advance a meeting from early to late fall.

Informal. to do advance publicity for: to advance a rock singer's personal appearances; the most heavily advanced sports event in history.

Archaic. to raise, as a banner.

verb (used without object), ad·vanced, ad·vanc·ing.

to move or go forward; proceed: The troops advanced.

to increase in quantity, value, price, etc.: His stock advanced three points.

(of a color, form, etc., on a flat surface) to move toward or be perceived as moving toward an observer, especially as giving the illusion of space.Compare recede¹ (def. 3).

to improve or make progress.

to grow or rise in importance, status, etc.: to advance in rank.

Informal. to provide publicity; do promotion: He was hired to advance for a best-selling author.

noun

a forward movement; progress in space: the advance of the troops to the border.

promotion; improvement in importance, rank, etc.: his advance to the position of treasurer.

Usually advances.

attempts at forming an acquaintanceship, reaching an agreement, or the like, made by one party.
actions or words intended to be sexually inviting.

addition to price; rise in price: an advance on cottons.

Commerce.

a giving beforehand; a furnishing of something before an equivalent is received: An advance on his next month's salary permitted him to pay his debt on time.
the money or goods thus furnished: He received $100 as an advance against future delivery.

Journalism.

copy prepared before the event it describes has occurred: The morning papers carried advances on the ceremony, which will take place tonight.
a press release, wire-service dispatch, or the like, as one containing the text or partial text of a speech, sent to arrive in advance of the event to which it is related.Compare release copy.

the leading body of an army.

Military. (formerly) the order or a signal to advance.

Informal.

publicity done before the appearance of a noted person, a public event, etc.: She was hired to do advance for the candidate.
a person hired to do advance publicity for an event: He is regarded as the best advance in the business.

Automotive, Machinery. an adjustment made in the setting of the distributor of an internal-combustion engine to generate the spark for ignition in each cylinder earlier in the cycle.Compare retard (def. 5).

Geology. a seaward movement of the shoreline.

adjective

going or placed before: an advance section of a train.

made or given ahead of time: an advance payment on a loan.

issued ahead of time: an advance copy of the president's speech.

having gone beyond others or beyond the average.

OTHER WORDS FOR advance

2 adduce, propound; offer.

3 forward, promote.

6 force; quicken, hasten, speed up.

9 lend, loan.

16 thrive, flourish; prosper.

20 growth, advancement.

21 overture, proposal; offer, tender.

25 advance guard, vanguard, van, spearhead.

See synonyms for advance on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR advance

1, 2 withdraw.

13 retreat.

17 decrease.

See antonyms for advance on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about advance

in advance, ahead of time; beforehand: You must get your tickets in advance.

in advance of, in front of; before: Heralds walked in advance of the king.

Origin of advance

1200–50; Middle English avauncen<Anglo-French, Old French avanc(i)er<Vulgar Latin *abantiāre, verbal derivative of Late Latin abante in front (of) (Latin ab away from, off + ante before); ad- by mistaking a- for a-⁵ in the 16th cent.

synonym study for advance

13. Advance, move on, proceed all imply movement forward. Advance applies to forward movement, especially toward an objective: to advance to a platform. Proceed emphasizes movement, as from one place to another, and often implies continuing after a halt: to proceed on one's journey. Move on is similar in meaning to proceed; it does not, however, imply a definite goal: The crowd was told to move on.

OTHER WORDS FROM advance

ad·vanc·ing·ly, adverbo·ver·ad·vance, verb, o·ver·ad·vanced, o·ver·ad·vanc·ing, nounun·ad·vanc·ing, adjective

Words nearby advance

adv., Advaita, ad val., ad valorem, ad valorem tax, advance, advance corporation tax, advanced, advanced credit, advanced degree, advanced gas-cooled reactor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use advance in a sentence

Last week, the Senate GOP tried to advance a relief package that was a mere fraction of what House Democrats have demanded, ringing in at just around $300 billion in new spending.
Trump moves closer to Pelosi in economic aid talks, and House speaker must decide next move|Rachael Bade, Erica Werner|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Structural reforms designed to advance political equality are also a viable legislative agenda in terms of public opinion.
America needs a democratic revolution|Matthew Yglesias|September 17, 2020|Vox
That means supporting the small businesses that fuel our economy, advancing racial equity across our economic system, and creating millions of good-paying jobs.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic|Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
The moves sparked hopes that a political process leading to peace could advance.
Can Libya’s Fragile Peace Survive Fresh Cracks?|Charu Kasturi|September 15, 2020|Ozy

Yet progress continues apace and advances are expected in the coming months.
IBM plans a huge leap in superfast quantum computing by 2023|rhhackettfortune|September 15, 2020|Fortune
And Epstein continues to steer money toward universities to advance scientific research.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
All the slots for arrivals and departures are allocated months in advance.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This can also be prepared a few days in advance and stored, covered, in the fridge.
Carla Hall’s Christmas Day Treat: Rum Balls|Carla Hall|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We may never know the full amount that the Kochs or other outside spenders donate to advance anti-union legislation.
The Next Phase of the Koch Brothers’ War on Unions|Carl Deal and Tia Lessin|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Admission is free, but by invitation only, and advance RSVP is required.
Quorum: Global LGBT Voices||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Done, says he, why let fifty of our men advance, and flank them on each wing.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
One adorable smile she gave him, and before he could advance to hold the door for her, she had opened it and passed out.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
So strained became the relations between them, that for the last part of the advance they no longer met at meals.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
The rebels wished to advance from Lutao, but were kept back by the fire from the gunboat Maria Cristina.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
One, a man of distinguished looks and military bearing, was a little in advance of the other two.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn

British Dictionary definitions for advance

advance

/ (ədˈvɑːns) /

verb

to go or bring forward in position

(foll by on) to move (towards) in a threatening manner

(tr) to present for consideration; suggest

to bring or be brought to a further stage of development; improve; further

(tr) to cause (an event) to occur earlier

(tr) to supply (money, goods, etc) beforehand, either for a loan or as an initial payment

to increase (a price, value, rate of occurrence, etc) or (of a price, etc) to be increased

(intr) to improve one's position; be promotedhe advanced rapidly in his job

(tr) archaic to promote in rank, status, or position

noun

forward movement; progress in time or space

improvement; progress in development

commerce

the supplying of commodities or funds before receipt of an agreed consideration
the commodities or funds supplied in this manner
(as modifier)an advance supply

Also called: advance payment a money payment made before it is legally duethis is an advance on your salary

a loan of money

an increase in price, value, rate of occurrence, etc

a less common word for advancement (def. 1)

in advance

beforehandpayment in advance
(foll by of) ahead in time or developmentideas in advance of the time

(modifier) forward in position or timeadvance booking; an advance warning

Derived forms of advance

advancer, nounadvancingly, adverb

Word Origin for advance

C15: advauncen, altered (on the model of words beginning with Latin ad-) from C13 avauncen, via Old French from Latin abante from before, from ab- away from + ante before

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with advance

advance

see in advance; make advances.

advance

OTHER WORDS FOR advance

OPPOSITES FOR advance

Idioms about advance

Origin of advance

synonym study for advance

OTHER WORDS FROM advance

Words nearby advance

Words related to advance

How to use advance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for advance

Derived forms of advance

Word Origin for advance

Other Idioms and Phrases with advance