Meaning of advance in English

1. Pronunciation

   /ədˈvæns/

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   UK accent

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1. Verb

   advance

   Etymology

   Middle English: from Old French avance (noun), avancer (verb), from late Latin abante‘in front’, from ab‘from’ + ante‘before’. The initial a- was erroneously assimilated to ad- in the 16th century

   Definitions

   1. move forward, also in the metaphorical sense

   Examples

   • « Time marches on »

   Antonyms

   • recede
   • fall back
   • retire
2. 2. bring forward for consideration or acceptance

   Examples

   • « advance an argument »
3. 3. increase or raise

   Examples

   • « boost the voltage in an electrical circuit »
4. 4. contribute to the progress or growth of

   Examples

   • « I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom »
5. 5. cause to move forward

   Examples

   • « Can you move the car seat forward? »

   Antonyms

   • back
6. 6. obtain advantages, such as points, etc.

   Examples

   • « The home team was gaining ground »
   • « After defeating the Knicks, the Blazers pulled ahead of the Lakers in the battle for the number-one playoff berth in the Western Conference »

   Antonyms

   • fall back
   • lose
   • drop off
   • fall behind
   • recede
7. 7. develop in a positive way

   Examples

   • « He progressed well in school »
   • « My plants are coming along »
   • « Plans are shaping up »

   Antonyms

   • regress
   • retrograde
   • retrogress
8. 8. develop further

   Examples

   • « We are advancing technology every day »
9. 9. give a promotion to or assign to a higher position

   Examples

   • « John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired »
   • « Women tend not to advance in the major law firms »
   • « I got promoted after many years of hard work »

   Antonyms

   • demote
   • bump
   • relegate
   • break
   • kick downstairs
10. 10. pay in advance

    Examples

    • « Can you advance me some money? »
11. 11. move forward

    Examples

    • « we have to advance clocks and watches when we travel eastward »
12. 12. rise in rate or price

    Examples

    • « The stock market gained 24 points today »

13. Noun

    advance

    Definitions

    1. a movement forward

    Examples

    • « he listened for the progress of the troops »
14. 2. a change for the better

    Examples

    • « progress in development »
15. 3. a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others

    Examples

    • « she rejected his advances »
16. 4. the act of moving forward toward a goal
17. 5. an amount paid before it is earned
18. 6. increase in price or value

    Examples

    • « the news caused a general advance on the stock market »