advance

advance

1. Commerce

a. the supplying of commodities or funds before receipt of an agreed consideration

b. the commodities or funds supplied in this manner

c. (as modifier): an advance supply

2. a money payment made before it is legally due

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advance [əd′vans]

(civil engineering)

In railway engineering, a length of track that extends beyond the signal that controls it.

(geology)

A continuing movement of a shoreline toward the sea.

A net movement over a specified period of time of a shoreline toward the sea.

(hydrology)

The forward movement of a glacier.

(mechanical engineering)

To effect the earlier occurrence of an event, for example, spark advance or injection advance.

(navigation)

In making a turn, the distance a vessel moves in its initial direction from the point where the rudder is started over until the heading has changed 90°.

The distance a vessel moves in the initial direction for heading changes of less than 90°.