advanceadvance3 verb1[transitiveT] if you advance someone money, you lend it to them or give it to them, perhaps before they have earned itPatrons advanced sums of money for building an art gallery.
advance somebody somethingRandom House had advanced him the money to write a book.
2[intransitiveI]FINANCE when the price of shares, currencies, goods etc advances, it increasesGold prices advanced slightly in early trading.
Crude oil advanced $2.88 a barrel.
advance againstThe dollar advanced against the yen.
3[intransitiveI]FINANCE when profits or sales advance, they increasePre-tax profits advanced 4% to £8.4 million.
First-quarter sales advanced 36%.
4[intransitiveI]FINANCE when a company advances, its profit increasesThe company advanced 19.5%, lifting net profits to 1.25 billion rupees.