advance
[verb]
Synonyms:
- progress, come forward, go on, hasten, make inroads, proceed, speed
- benefit, further, improve, prosper
- suggest, offer, present, proffer, put forward, submit
- lend, pay beforehand, supply on credit
[noun]
Synonyms:
- progress, advancement, development, forward movement, headway, inroads, onward movement
- improvement, breakthrough, gain, growth, progress, promotion, step
- loan, credit, deposit, down payment, prepayment, retainer
- advances: overtures, approach, approaches, moves, proposals, proposition
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- prior, beforehand, early, forward, in front
- in advance: beforehand, ahead, earlier, previously

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Antonyms: retard, check, hold back, reduce (in rank), recede, recession
Contrasted words: hinder, impede, delay, slow, curb, restrain, retire, retreat, retrograde, withdraw, retrogression, ebbing, retiring, withdrawal
Related Idioms: forge ahead, gain ground, get ahead, make headway (or progress), make one's way, make rapid strides
Related Words: aid, assist, help, accelerate, quicken, speed, aggrandize, exalt, raise, uplift, glorify, immortalize, magnify, air, broach, expose, heighten, increase, intensify, develop, mature, betterment, furtherance, improvement, development, evolution, breakthrough, offer, proffer

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English Thesaurus: progress, advance, breakthrough, make headway, stalemate/deadlock, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. ad‧vance¹ S2 W2 /ədˈvɑːns $ ədˈvæns/ noun

1. in advance (of something) before something happens or is expected to happen:
I should warn you in advance that I’m not a very good dancer.
Many thanks, in advance, for your help.
six months/a year etc in advance
Book tickets 21 days in advance.
Could you distribute copies well in advance of the meeting?

2. be in advance of somebody/something to be more developed or modern than someone or something else:
Their aircraft were in advance of those used by the US.

3. DEVELOPMENT/IMPROVEMENT [countable] a change, discovery, or invention that brings progress
technological/scientific/medical etc advance
one of the great technological advances of the 20th century
a major advance
advance in
Recent advances in genetics have raised moral questions.
advance on
an advance on previous treatments
the advances made in the understanding of mental handicap

4. FORWARD MOVEMENT [countable] forward movement or progress of a group of people – used especially to talk about soldiers
advance on
the enemy’s advance on St. Petersburg

5. MONEY [countable usually singular] money paid to someone before the usual time, especially someone’s salary:
a $500 advance
advance on
Krebs decided to ask for an advance on his salary.

6. advances [plural] formal an attempt to start a sexual relationship with someone:
She accused her boss of making advances to her.
The witness said that he ‘went berserk’ when she rejected his sexual advances.

7. INCREASE [countable] an increase in the price or value of something – used especially when talking about the stock exchange

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. advance² W3 verb
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: avancier, from Vulgar Latin abantiare, from Latin abante 'before']

1. MOVE FORWARD [intransitive] to move towards someone or something, especially in a slow and determined way – used especially to talk about soldiers:
A line of US tanks slowly advanced.
advance on
Troops advanced on the rebel stronghold (=moved towards it in order to attack it).
advance across/through/towards
The army advanced across the plain.

2. DEVELOP [intransitive and transitive] if scientific or technical knowledge advances, or if something advances it, it develops and improves:
Our understanding of human genetics has advanced considerably.
The group’s research has done much to advance our knowledge of the HIV virus.

3. MONEY [transitive] to give someone money before they have earned it
advance somebody something
Will they advance you some money until you get your first paycheck?
advance something to somebody
I advanced $1,500 to Kramer last Thursday.

4. advance your career/a cause/your interests etc to do something that will help you achieve an advantage or success for yourself or someone else:
Jameson agreed to the deal in an effort to advance his political career.

5. PRICE [intransitive] if the price or value of something advances, it increases – used especially when talking about the stock exchange

6. TIME/DATE [transitive] formal to change the time or date when an event should happen to an earlier time or date:
The meeting has been advanced to ten o'clock.

7. MACHINE [intransitive and transitive] formal if you advance a film, clock, musical recording etc, or if it advances, it goes forward
⇒ advancing

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. advance³ adjective

1. advance planning/warning/booking etc planning etc that is done before an event:
We received no advance warning of the storm.

2. advance party/team a group of people who go first to a place where something will happen to prepare for it

3. advance copy a copy of a book, record etc that has not yet been made available to the public

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

advance
noun
I. forward movement
ADJ. rapid | Allied, British, German, etc.
VERB + ADVANCE make The regiment made an advance on the enemy lines.
order The general ordered an advance to the front line.
halt, resist, stop
PREP. on ~ the advance on Leningrad
to ~, towards ~ the Russian advance towards Berlin

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

advance
II. development
ADJ. big, considerable, dramatic, enormous, great, spectacular, substantial, tremendous | important, major, notable, remarkable, significant | rapid, steady rapid advances in science and technology
recent | economic, educational, medical, political, scientific, social, technical, technological | theoretical
VERB + ADVANCE make We need more money if we are to make any further advances in this area of science.
PREP. in ~ two major advances in orthopaedic medicine
on ~ an advance on the existing techniques
towards ~ an advance towards a better understanding of God

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

advance
III. money
ADJ. large | cash
VERB + ADVANCE give, pay The publishers have paid me an advance.
get, receive
PREP. ~ of an advance of £10,000
~ on He was paid £5,000 as an advance on royalties.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

advance
IV. advances: sexual
ADJ. amorous, sexual
VERB + ADVANCE make He made amorous advances to one of his students.
PREP. ~ to

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

advance
verb
I. move forward
ADV. quickly, rapidly | cautiously, slowly
PREP. from advancing from the south
into The troops advanced into central Europe.
on/upon The army advanced on the capital.
towards He advanced towards me in aggressive style.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

advance
II. develop
ADV. considerably, greatly, significantly | rapidly
PREP. beyond Society needs to advance beyond prejudice and superstition.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

advance
noun
See THANK 3 (thank)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

progress noun [uncountable] /ˈprəʊɡres $ ˈprɑː-/ the process of getting better at doing something, or getting closer to finishing or achieving something:
a test of the students' progress.
We have made good progress towards meeting our objectives.
advance noun [countable usually plural] /ədˈvɑːns $ ədˈvæns/ a discovery, invention, or change that brings progress:
the technological advances of the twentieth century
advances in scientific knowledge
In recent years there have been enormous economic and social advances.
breakthrough noun [countable] /ˈbreɪkθruː/ an important discovery or achievement that makes progress possible, especially one that happens suddenly after a long period of trying:
Scientists have described the discovery as a major breakthrough.
The breakthrough in the investigation came when police found a stolen car.
make headway to make progress towards achieving something – used especially when it is difficult to make progress:
After several months of discussion, the committee had made little headway.
stalemate/deadlock /ˈsteɪlmeɪt/ [uncountable and countable] a situation in which no further progress can be made because two groups or organizations cannot find a way to end a disagreement:
The negotiations ended in deadlock.
At that point the strike appeared to have reached a stalemate.
the year-long political deadlock between the two parties
impasse /æmˈpɑːs $ ˈɪmpæs/ [singular] formal a situation in which progress has stopped completely, especially because people cannot agree on what to do next:
The continuing impasse over the budget.
The situation seemed to have reached an impasse.
grind to a halt to slowly stop making any progress:
The economy seems to be grinding to a halt.
It was clear that the peace talks had ground to a halt.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

advance
ədˈvɑ:ns
See: in advance or in advance of

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲