advance

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

• transitive v. To cause to move forward: advance a chess piece.
• transitive v. To put forward; propose or suggest: advanced a novel theory during the seminar.
• transitive v. To aid the growth or progress of: advanced the cause of freedom.
• transitive v. To raise in rank; promote.
• transitive v. To cause to occur sooner: advance a deadline by one week.
• transitive v. To raise in amount or rate; increase.
• transitive v. To pay (money or interest) before due.
• transitive v. To supply or lend, especially on credit.
• transitive v. To serve as an advance person for (a trip to be made by a politician or a dignitary): "advanced the China trip during which the first trade agreements . . . were signed” ( Suzanne Perney).
• transitive v. Archaic To lift.
• intransitive v. To go or move forward or onward.
• intransitive v. To move against another, as when attacking: advance on the enemy's position.
• intransitive v. To make progress; improve.
• intransitive v. To rise in rank, position, or value.
• intransitive v. To serve as an advance person for a trip to be made by a politician or a dignitary.
• n. The act or process of moving or going forward.
• n. A forward move, as toward an objective; a progressive step: an advance in genetic engineering.
• n. An increase of price or value.
• n. Opening approaches made to secure acquaintance, favor, or an agreement; overtures.
• n. The furnishing of funds or goods on credit.
• n. The funds or goods so furnished; a loan.
• n. Payment of money before due: an advance on next month's salary.
• n. The money so paid.
• n. Preparation, especially publicity, done prior to the appearance of a public figure or the staging of a public event.
• adj. Made or given ahead of time: an advance payment.
• adj. Going before, in front, or forward.
• idiom in advance Ahead of time; beforehand.
• idiom in advance of In front of; ahead of.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

• v. To bring forward; to move towards the van or front; to make to go on.
• v. To raise to a higher rank; to promote.
• v. To accelerate the growth or progress; to further; to forward; to help on; to aid; to heighten.
• v. To bring to view or notice; to offer or propose; to show.
• v. To make earlier, as an event or date; to hasten.
• v. To furnish, as money or other value, before it becomes due, or in aid of an enterprise; to supply beforehand.
• v. To raise to a higher point; to enhance; to raise in rate.
• v. To move forwards, to approach.
• n. A forward move.
• n. An amount of money or credit, especially given as a loan, or paid before it is due; an advancement.
• n. An opening approach or overture, especially of an unwelcome or sexual nature.
• adj. Completed before need or a milestone event.
• adj. Preceding.
• adj. Forward.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• adj. Before in place, or beforehand in time; -- used for advanced
• n. The act of advancing or moving forward or upward; progress.
• n. Improvement or progression, physically, mentally, morally, or socially
• n. An addition to the price; rise in price or value.
• n. The first step towards the attainment of a result; approach made to gain favor, to form an acquaintance, to adjust a difference, etc.; an overture; a tender; an offer; -- usually in the plural.
• n. A furnishing of something before an equivalent is received (as money or goods), towards a capital or stock, or on loan; payment beforehand; the money or goods thus furnished; money or value supplied beforehand.
• intransitive v. To move or go forward; to proceed.
• intransitive v. To increase or make progress in any respect.
• intransitive v. To rise in rank, office, or consequence; to be preferred or promoted.
• transitive v. To bring forward; to move towards the van or front; to make to go on.
• transitive v. To raise; to elevate.
• transitive v. To raise to a higher rank; to promote.
• transitive v. To accelerate the growth or progress; to further; to forward; to help on; to aid; to heighten
• transitive v. To bring to view or notice; to offer or propose; to show.
• transitive v. To make earlier, as an event or date; to hasten.
• transitive v. To furnish, as money or other value, before it becomes due, or in aid of an enterprise; to supply beforehand.
• transitive v. To raise to a higher point; to enhance; to raise in rate.
• transitive v. To extol; to laud.

from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

• To bring forward in place; move further in front.
• To forward in time; accelerate: as, to advance the growth of plants.
• To improve or make better; benefit; promote the good of: as, to advance one's true interests.
• To promote; raise to a higher rank: as, to advance one from the bar to the bench.
• To raise; enhance: as, to advance the price of goods.
• To offer or propose; bring to view or notice, as something one is prepared to abide by; allege; adduce; bring forward: as, to advance an opinion or an argument.
• In com., to supply beforehand; furnish on credit, or before goods are delivered or work is done, or furnish as part of a stock or fund; supply or pay in expectation of reimbursement: as, to advance money on loan or contract, or toward a purchase or an establishment.
• To raise; lift up; elevate.
• To put forth or exhibit with a view to display.
• . To commend; extol; vaunt.
• To impel; incite.
• Synonyms To elevate, exalt, prefer, aggrandize, dignify.
• To increase, augment.
• Adduce, Allege, Assign (see adduce); propound, bring forward, lay down.
• To move or go forward; proceed: as, the troops advanced.
• To improve or make progress; grow, etc.: as, to advance in knowledge, stature, wisdom, rank, office, dignity, or age.
• To increase in quantity, price, etc.: as, the stock advanced three points.
• n. A moving forward or toward the front; a forward course; progress in space: as, our advance was impeded by obstructions.
• n. Milit., the order or signal to advance: as, the advance was sounded.
• n. A step forward; actual progress in any course of action: often in the plural: as, an advance in religion or knowledge; civilization has made great advances in this century.
• n. An act of approach; an effort for approximation or agreement; anything done to bring about accord or any relation with another or others: with to before the person and toward before the object or purpose: as, A made an advance or advances to B, or toward acquaintance with B.
• n. A forward position; place in front, at the head, or in the lead: as, his regiment took the advance in the march. The state of being forward or in front; a being or going at the head or in the lead: chiefly in the phrase in advance: as, the groom rode in advance of the carriage; he is far in advance of the other pupils.
• n. He who or that which is at the head or in the lead; the foremost or forward part; especially, the leading body of an army.
• n. In schools, a lesson not previously learned: opposed to review.
• n. Advancement; promotion; preferment: as, an advance in rank or office.
• n. An offer or tender.
• n. In com.: Addition to price; rise in price: as, an advance on the prime cost of goods; there is an advance on cottons.
• n. A giving before-hand; a furnishing of something before an equivalent is received, as money or goods, toward a capital or stock, or on loan, or in expectation of being reimbursed in some way: as, A made large advances to B.
• n. The money or goods thus furnished.
• n. In naval tactics, the distance made by a ship under way, in the direction of her course, after the helm has been put to one side and kept there: opposed to transfer, the distance made at right angles to the original course of the vessel before the helm was put over.
• n. Beforehand; before an equivalent is received: as, to pay rent in advance.
• n. In the state or condition of having made an advance: as, A is in advance to B a thousand dollars. Synonyms Advancement, Proficiency, etc. See progress, n.
• n. The angular interval in excess of 90° which the center-line of an engine-eccentric makes with the center-line of the engine-crank.
• n. In fencing, a quick move of the right foot a few inches forward, followed instantly by the left foot, but so that the fencer keeps his equilibrium and is ready for parry, or the forward lunge of the right foot.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• v. develop further
• n. an amount paid before it is earned
• v. develop in a positive way
• v. bring forward for consideration or acceptance
• v. pay in advance
• n. a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others
• v. cause to move forward
• n. a movement forward
• v. move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
• v. obtain advantages, such as points, etc.
• v. move forward
• v. contribute to the progress or growth of
• n. a change for the better; progress in development
• v. increase or raise
• v. give a promotion to or assign to a higher position
• adj. being ahead of time or need
• n. the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)
• adj. situated ahead or going before
• n. increase in price or value
• v. rise in rate or price