Dictionary entry

Advance

Webster's Dictionary 1913

Ad‐vance″ (�), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Advanced (�); p. pr. & vb. n.Advancing (�)(#).] [OE. avancen, avauncen, F. avancer, fr. a supposed LL. abantiare; ab + ante (F. avant) before. The spelling with d was a mistake, a- being supposed to be fr. L. ad. See Avaunt.] 1. To bring forward; to move towards the van or front; to make to go on.

2. To raise; to elevate.

They... advanced their eyelids.

Shak.

3. To raise to a higher rank; to promote.

Ahasueres... advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes.

Esther iii. 1.

4. To accelerate the growth or progress; to further; to forward; to help on; to aid; to heighten; as, to advance the ripening of fruit; to advance one's interests.

5. To bring to view or notice; to offer or propose; to show; as, to advance an argument.

Some ne'er advance a judgment of their own.

Pope.

6. To make earlier, as an event or date; to hasten.

7. To furnish, as money or other value, before it becomes due, or in aid of an enterprise; to supply beforehand; as, a merchant advances money on a contract or on goods consigned to him.

8. To raise to a higher point; to enhance; to raise in rate; as, to advance the price of goods.

9. To extol; to laud.

Greatly advancing his gay chivalry.

Spenser.

Syn. — To raise; elevate; exalt; aggrandize; improve; heighten; accelerate; allege; adduce; assign.