The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - advance v.

1) move or put or push or go forward; approach: Man has advanced the frontier of physical science. The battalion advanced towards the fort with guns blazing. 2) further, promote, forward, help, aid, abet, assist, benefit, improve; contribute to: The terrorists' dynamiting of the school has done nothing to advance their cause. 3) go or move forward, move (onward) , go on, proceed, get ahead: As people advance in life, they acquire what is better than admiration - judgement. 4) hasten, accelerate, speed: We have advanced the date of our departure from December to October. 5) move up, promote: In less than a year, Mrs Leland has been advanced from supervisor to manager of the production department. 6) prepay, lend: Could you advance me some money till pay-day? --n. 7) progress, development, progress, forward movement; improvement, betterment; headway: Who has done more for the advance of knowledge? 8 rise, increase, appreciation: Any advance in prices at this time would reduce our sales. 9) prepayment, deposit; loan: I cannot understand why George is always asking for an advance on his allowance. 10) in advance. a beforehand, ahead (of time) , before: You will have to make reservations well in advance. b before, in front (of) , ahead (of) , beyond: The colonel rode in advance of the cavalry.