advance

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ədˈvɑːns/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /ədˈvæns/
• (AU) (NZ) IPA ^(key): /ədˈvaːns/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (UK)

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• Audio (AU)

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Noun

Singular advance

Plural advances

1. If something is in advance of something else, it is before it.

   They gave us notice 30 days in advance of closing the factory.

   Hotel rooms are often booked up months in advance.

   We cannot make the changes without advance notice.

   Tickets are $25 dollars at the door. Advance tickets are available from Cal Performances Box Office.

2. (countable) An advance is a move forward.

   The advances in technology will be amazing in the next decade or so.

   Despite exciting advances, doctors still have a poor understanding of many diseases.

   The army made significant military advances in Iraq.

   He improper sexual advances toward her when she was his assistant.

   Advances outnumbered declines 1,631 to 1,177 on the New York Stock Exchange.

3. (countable) An advance is an amount of money given to someone before they normally get it.

   The band received a $6 million advance on the new album even before they started recording.

Synonyms

• progress

Verb

Plain form advance

Third-person singular advances

Past tense advanced

Past participle advanced

Present participle advancing

1. (transitive & intransitive) If you advance something, you bring or move it forward.

   In separate attacks, the Khmer Rouge was advancing toward Siem Reap, 200 miles northwest of Phnom Penh.

   After winning 1-0, Morocco has a chance to advance to the second round.

   This research advances our understanding of the disease.

   The technology has advanced far beyond the early days of computer beeps and fuzzy graphics.

2. (transitive) If you advance someone some money, you pay it to them before they would normally get it.

   They advanced her $12,000 against future earnings.

Synonyms

• progress

Related words

• advancement
• advanced