advance

I. verb (advanced; advancing) Etymology: Middle English advauncen, from Anglo-French avancer, from Vulgar Latin *abantiare, from Late Latin abante in front, from Latin ab- + ante before — more at ante- Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to accelerate the growth or progress of <

advance a cause

> 2. to bring or move forward <

advance a pawn

> 3. to raise to a higher rank 4. archaic to lift up ; raise 5. to bring forward in time; especially to make earlier <

advance the date of the meeting

> 6. to bring forward for notice, consideration, or acceptance ; propose <

advance an idea

> 7. to supply or furnish in expectation of repayment <

advance a loan

> 8. to raise in rate ; increase <

advance the rent

> intransitive verb 1. to move forward ; proceed <

an advancing army

> 2. to make progress ; increase <

advance in age

> 3. to rise in rank, position, or importance <

advance through the ranks

> 4. to rise in rate or price <

advancing wages

> • advancer noun Synonyms: advance, promote, forward, further mean to help (someone or something) to move ahead. advance stresses effective assisting in hastening a process or bringing about a desired end <

advance the cause of peace

>. promote suggests an encouraging or fostering and may denote an increase in status or rank <

a campaign to promote better health

>. forward implies an impetus forcing something ahead <

a wage increase would forward productivity

>. further suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance <

used the marriage to further his career

>. II. noun Date: 1668 1. a moving forward 2. a. progress in development <

mistaking material advance for spiritual enrichment — H. J. Laski

> b. a progressive step ; improvement <

an advance in medical technique

> 3. a rise in price, value, or amount 4. a first step or approach made <

her attitude discouraged all advances

> 5. a provision of something (as money or goods) before a return is received; also the money or goods supplied III. adjective Date: 1701 1. made, sent, or furnished ahead of time <

advance sales

> 2. going or situated before <

an advance party of soldiers

> <

an advance guard

>