advance
advance Lexical Profile
advance Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A significant development, improvement, or breakthrough in knowledge or technology.
"Recent advances in medical imaging have greatly improved early diagnosis."
A forward movement or progression toward a goal or destination.
"The explorers made a steady advance toward the summit despite the heavy snow."
An amount of money paid before it is due or before the corresponding work is completed.
"The author received a generous advance on royalties to fund her research."
An approach or overture made to someone with the aim of initiating a romantic or social relationship (usually used in the plural).
"She politely declined his romantic advances and asked to remain professional colleagues."
• verb
To make or cause to make progress in knowledge, status, or development.
"She attended evening seminars to advance her career in software engineering."
To move forward in a purposeful way toward a destination or objective.
"The chess player decided to advance her pawn to control the center of the board."
To put forward or propose a theory, plan, or suggestion for consideration.
"The research team advanced a compelling hypothesis to explain the climate data."
To lend or pay money to someone before it is legally due.
"The company agreed to advance him a month's salary to cover his relocation expenses."
• adjective
Done, sent, or supplied beforehand; prior.
"The publisher sent out advance copies of the novel to several literary critics."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective, 'advance' means done or given beforehand (e.g., 'advance warning'), whereas 'advanced' means far along in progress or complexity (e.g., 'advanced mathematics').
• Rhymes for advance
Word Origin & Etymology
Middle English avauncen, borrowed from Old French avancier ('to move forward'), from Vulgar Latin *abantiare, derived from Late Latin abante ('before, in front'). The 'd' was inserted in the 16th century under the mistaken belief that the word contained the Latin prefix ad-.