Advance | Mean of advance in English Dictionary

/ədˈvæns/

• Verb
• to move forward
1. The car advanced slowly down the street.
2. The sun slowly advanced across the sky.
3. She opened the door and advanced cautiously into the room.
4. Enemy soldiers are advancing on the city. [=they are approaching the city in order to attack it]
• to move (someone or something) forward
1. advance the hands of a clock
2. advance a pawn [=move a pawn forward in a game of chess]
3. The film is advanced by an electric motor.
4. The team advanced the ball steadily down the field.
• to go forward
1. Our understanding of this disease has advanced rapidly in recent years.
2. The team did not advance beyond the first round of the play-offs.
3. The company tries to keep up with advancing technology.
4. As he advanced in age and stature he advanced in knowledge.
5. Their children are advancing toward maturity.

• to increase in amount or rate
1. These measures are intended to keep landlords from advancing [=raising] rents unfairly.
2. Wages have continued to advance.
3. Some stock prices have advanced while others have declined.
4. Loss of memory is often a sign of advancing age.
• to help the progress of (something)
1. heroes whose sacrifices advanced the cause of freedom
2. Volunteers have been raising money to advance the work of the society.
3. They used propaganda to advance their cause.
4. He was advancing his own interests at the expense of his friend's.
5. advance a plot
• to make (something) higher or better
1. The success of this novel will help to advance [=enhance] his reputation/status.
• to raise (someone) to a higher rank or position
1. He was advanced [=promoted] from clerk to assistant manager.
• to rise to a higher rank or position
1. The family has advanced to a position of influence in the community.
2. He advanced quickly through the ranks.
3. She has continued to advance steadily in her career.
• to give money to someone as a loan or before the usual time
1. advance a loan to someone = advance someone a loan
2. advance an employee a week's pay
3. His publisher advanced him $100,000 on/for his new book.
• to suggest or propose (something) for consideration or acceptance
1. advance a new plan/theory
2. advance an argument
3. Many theories were advanced and rejected.
• to cause (something) to occur more quickly
1. a chemical used to advance the ripening of fruit
• to make (something) earlier
1. advance the date of the meeting
• Noun
• forward movement
1. trying to halt the enemy's advance
2. trying to halt the enemy's advances
• progress in the development or improvement of something
1. recent advances in medicine
2. a big/dramatic/huge/major/significant advance in technology
3. The new system represents a considerable advance over the old one.
4. There have been few advances made in the treatment of this disease.
5. There has been little advance made in the treatment of this disease.
6. policies that are important for economic advance [=advancement]
• a rise in price, value, or amount
1. The workers won wage advances.
2. a yearlong advance in stock prices
• the act of speaking to someone in an effort to start a sexual relationship
1. Her unfriendly look discourages advances.
2. She rebuffed/rejected his advances.
3. He is accused of making unwelcome sexual advances to female coworkers.
• money given to someone as a loan or before the usual time of payment
1. I need an advance on my salary.
2. He was given a $100,000 advance on/for his new book.
3. a cash advance
• before something happens
1. He knew about the change two weeks in advance. [=two weeks before the change occurred]
2. There was no way to know in advance [=ahead of time] that these problems would occur.
3. We made reservations in advance.
4. You should call in advance to make an appointment.
5. Thank you in advance for your help.
6. They began to make preparations several days in advance of [=before, ahead of] her arrival.
• made, sent, or provided at an early time
1. an advance payment
2. an advance warning
3. an advance copy of a new book
• going or placed before others
1. an advance guard
2. an advance scout
3. (US) an advance man/woman/team [=a man, woman, or group whose job is to go to a place and make preparations for someone (such as a politician or an entertainer) who is coming to visit that place at a later time]