advertise

or ad·ver·tize

[ad-ver-tahyz, ad-ver-tahyz]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR advertise ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), ad·ver·tised, ad·ver·tis·ing.

to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it: to advertise a new brand of toothpaste.

to give information to the public about; announce publicly in a newspaper, on radio or television, etc.: to advertise a reward.

to call attention to, in a boastful or ostentatious manner: Stop advertising yourself!

Obsolete. to give notice, advice, or information to; inform: I advertised him of my intention.

Obsolete. to admonish; warn.

verb (used without object), ad·ver·tised, ad·ver·tis·ing.

to ask for something by placing a notice in a newspaper, over radio or television, etc.: to advertise for a house to rent.

to offer goods for sale or rent, solicit funds, etc., by means of advertisements: It pays to advertise.

Cards.

Poker.to bluff so as to make the bluff obvious.
Rummy.to discard a card in order to induce an opponent to discard one of the same suit or denomination.

Origin of advertise

1400–50; late Middle English advertisen < Middle French avertiss-, long stem of avertir < Vulgar Latin *advertire, Latin advertere to advert¹; the expected Middle English *advertishen probably conformed to advertisement or the suffix -ize

Related formsad·ver·tis·a·ble

[ad-ver-tahy-zuh-buh l, ad-ver-tahy-] /ˈæd vərˌtaɪ zə bəl, ˌæd vərˈtaɪ-/, adjectivead·ver·tis·er, nouno·ver·ad·ver·tise, verb, o·ver·ad·ver·tised, o·ver·ad·ver·tis·ing.pre·ad·ver·tise, verb, pre·ad·ver·tised, pre·ad·ver·tis·ing.pre·ad·ver·tis·er, nounre·ad·ver·tise, verb, re·ad·ver·tised, re·ad·ver·tis·ing.un·ad·ver·tised, adjectivewell-ad·ver·tised, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for advertise

disclose, exhibit, reveal, communicate, proclaim, tout, sponsor, endorse, announce, promote, display, show, divulge, flaunt, notify, pitch, acquaint, apprise, splash, advise

Examples from the Web for advertise

Contemporary Examples of advertise

To paraphrase Peter Tosh, if Illinois were to legalize it, would you advertise it?
The Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah Sounds Off on Weed, the Weather, and Winning
Bill Schulz
October 19, 2014
It was an excellent, pointed answer that even managed to advertise her movie.
Why Does Everyone Hate Lea Michele?
Tim Teeman
October 9, 2014
This is something Uber does to advertise itself to people who might sign up to provide rides for the firm.
Uber’s Battle Against Its Drivers Continues
Olivia Nuzzi
July 8, 2014
Failure to secure their quick release can erode voter confidence and advertise the impotence of government.
Al Qaeda Growing Rich Off Ransom Payments
Jamie Dettmer
December 22, 2013
Eric Idle said, “It means we can advertise it as 300 quid cheaper than the Stones.”
Monty Python—Not Dead Yet
Tom Sykes
November 21, 2013

Historical Examples of advertise

It was a different thing to advertise one's mediocrity to the world.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
There's some exports it doesn't pay to advertise, I guess, and she and her sister are that kind.
Kent Knowles: Quahaug
Joseph C. Lincoln
They may advertise from now till doomsday, but they will never get a response from him!
Victor's Triumph
Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth
It is not my form to make complaints and advertise my misfortunes.
The Market-Place
Harold Frederic
It said nothing whatever of trying to advertise him as a prisoner.
The Prisoner
Alice Brown

British Dictionary definitions for advertise

advertise

sometimes US advertize

verb

to present or praise (goods, a service, etc) to the public, esp in order to encourage sales

to make (something, such as a vacancy, article for sale, etc) publicly known, as to possible applicants, buyers, etcto advertise a job

(intr foll by for) to make a public request (for), esp in a newspaper, etcshe advertised for a cook

obsolete to warn; caution

Derived Formsadvertiser or sometimes US advertizer, noun

Word Origin for advertise

C15: from a lengthened stem of Old French avertir, ultimately from Latin advertere to turn one's attention to. See adverse

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

Word Origin and History for advertise

early 15c., "to take notice of," from Middle French advertiss-, present participle stem of a(d)vertir "to warn" (12c.), from Latin advertere "turn toward," from ad- "toward" (see ad-) + vertere "to turn" (see versus).

Sense shifted to "to give notice to others, warn" (late 15c.) by influence of advertisement; specific meaning "to call attention to goods for sale, rewards, etc." had emerged by late 18c. Original meaning remains in the verb advert "to give attention to." Related: Advertised; advertising.