advancing

ad·vance  (d-vns)

v. ad·vanced, ad·vanc·ing, ad·vanc·es

v.tr.

1. To cause to move forward: advance a chess piece.

2. To put forward; propose or suggest: advanced a novel theory during the seminar.

3. To aid the growth or progress of: advanced the cause of freedom.

4. To raise in rank; promote.

5. To cause to occur sooner: advance a deadline by one week.

6. To raise in amount or rate; increase.

7. To pay (money or interest) before due.

8. To supply or lend, especially on credit.

9. 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).

10. Archaic To lift.

v.intr.

1.

a. To go or move forward or onward.

b. To move against another, as when attacking: advance on the enemy's position.

2. To make progress; improve.

3. To rise in rank, position, or value.

4. To serve as an advance person for a trip to be made by a politician or a dignitary.

n.

1. The act or process of moving or going forward.

2. A forward move, as toward an objective; a progressive step: an advance in genetic engineering.

3. An increase of price or value.

4. advances Opening approaches made to secure acquaintance, favor, or an agreement; overtures.

5.

a. The furnishing of funds or goods on credit.

b. The funds or goods so furnished; a loan.

6.

a. Payment of money before due: an advance on next month's salary.

b. The money so paid.

7. Preparation, especially publicity, done prior to the appearance of a public figure or the staging of a public event.

adj.

1. Made or given ahead of time: an advance payment.

2. Going before, in front, or forward.

Idioms:

in advance

Ahead of time; beforehand.

in advance of

In front of; ahead of.

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[Middle English avauncen, from Old French avauncer, from Vulgar Latin *abantire, from Latin abante, from before : ab-, ab- + ante, before; see ant- in Indo-European roots.]

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ad·vancer n.

Synonyms: advance, forward, foster, further, promote
These verbs mean to cause to move ahead, as toward a goal: advance a worthy cause; forwarding their own interests; fostered friendly relations; furthering your career; efforts to promote sales.

Antonym: retard¹

Usage Note: Advance, as a noun, is used for forward movement (the advance of the army) or for progress or improvement in a figurative sense. Advancement is used mainly in the figurative sense: career advancement. In the figurative sense, moreover, there is a distinction between the two terms deriving from the transitive and intransitive forms of the verb advance. The noun advancement (unlike advance) often implies the existence of an agent or outside force. Thus, the advance of science means simply the progress of science, whereas the advancement of science implies progress resulting from the action of an agent or force: The purpose of the legislation was the advancement of science.

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Advancing 

See Also: ENTRANCES/EXITS, MOVEMENT

1. Advanced like armies —Anon

   This is used to describe forward sweeps in a figurative as well as literal sense. For example, book critic Anatole Broyard used it about William Faulkner’s sentences in a New York Times Book Review, May 17, 1987.

2. (The terrible old miser) advanced, like the hour of death to a criminal —Honor de Balzac
3. Advance like the shadow of death —John Ruskin
4. Approached … as stealthily as a poacher stalking a hind —Donald Seaman
5. Bearing down like a squad of tactical police —Marge Piercy
6. Bearing down like a tugboat busily dragging a fleet of barges —Frank Swinnerton
7. Came on like a last reel of a John Wayne movie —Line from “L. A. Law,” television drama segment, 1987

   The simile describes a sexually aggressive woman.

8. Came [toward another person] … like a tidal wave running toward the coast —Isak Dinesen
9. Came with slow steps like a dog who exhibits his fidelity —Honor de Balzac
10. Come down, like a flock of hungry corbies, upon them —George Garrett

    Garret is comparing the corbies to a group of beggars.

11. Come like a rolling storm —Beryl Markham
12. Coming after me … like a wave —Calder Willingham
13. Coming at him like a fullback —Wallace Stegner
14. (She’d seen it) coming like a red caboose at the end of a train —Denis Johnson
15. (Cancer) coming like a train —William H. Gass
16. Coming like a truck —James Crumley

    Here the strong advance describes an aggressive woman.

17. (People) converged upon them, like a stream of ants —Hortense Calisher
18. (Faith’s father) descended … like a storm —Charles Johnson
19. Descend on me like age —Margaret Atwood
20. Forges ahead, lashing over the wet earth like a whipcrack —T. Coraghessan Boyle
21. Glide toward them, as softly and slyly as a fly on a windowpane —Donald Seaman
22. He was upon them like a sun-flushed avalanche —Frank Swinnerton
23. Invade like weeds, everywhere, but slowly —Margaret Atwood
24. Leaned forward like a magnificent bird of prey about to swallow its victim whole —Mike Fredman
25. Like a figurehead on the prow of a foundering ship his head and torso pressed forward —John Updike
26. Like fowls in a farm-yard when barley is scattering, out came the children running —Robert Browning
27. Moved forward [towards an attractive woman] like so many iron filings to a magnet —J. B. Priestley
28. (He was) moving toward me like a carnivorous dinosaur advancing on a vegetarian sibling —Joan Hess
29. Pressing forward like the wind —Sir Walter Scott
30. Pushed forward like the nervous antennae of a large insect —Rita Mae Brown
31. [An odor] roll up … like fog in a valley —C.D.B. Bryan
32. Slid forward slowly as an alligator —Rudyard Kipling
33. (He could hear the roar of darkness) sweeping toward him like a fist —Jay Mclnerney
34. Swooped like chickens scrambling for a grain of corn —Aharon Megged
35. Went firmly on as if propelled —Stephen Crane

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

advancing - moving forward                       forward-moving, forward progressive - favoring or promoting progress; "progressive schools"