advance

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to develop or improve in knowledge or skill.

v. to make progress in a career, field of study, or developmental process.

“She worked hard to advance her career in the tech industry.”

“Medical science has advanced significantly over the last decade, leading to much higher survival rates for previously untreatable conditions.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to give someone money before the usual time they should receive it.

v. to pay a sum of money before it is legally due or before a task is completed.

“The company agreed to advance him a month's salary to help with his move.”

“The publisher offered to advance a portion of the royalties to the author upon the signing of the contract.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a development or improvement in a particular area.

n. a forward step or a significant development in a field of knowledge or activity.

“The new battery technology is a major advance for electric cars.”

“Recent advances in artificial intelligence have sparked a global debate regarding the ethical implications of automated decision-making.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. money paid to you before you have earned it or before it is due.

n. a sum of money paid in advance of work being done or a debt falling due.

“She used her book advance to pay off her student loans.”

“The contractor requested a ten percent advance to cover the initial cost of materials before starting the renovation.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal

n. an attempt to start a romantic or sexual relationship with someone.

n. an approach or overture made to someone, typically with a romantic or sexual intent; often used in the plural.

“She rejected his romantic advances because she wanted to stay friends.”

“The employee filed a formal complaint after a senior manager made several unwelcome sexual advances during the conference.”

B1 · Intermediate

adj. happening or done before a particular event.

adj. done, given, or happening before a specific time or event; used attributively before a noun.

“You need to make an advance booking if you want a table on Friday.”

“The security team received advance warning of the protest, allowing them to implement additional safety measures before the crowd arrived.”