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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Avance, Avanse, v. Also: awance, awans, av-, awaunce, awawns. [ME. avaunce (c 1225), avance, OF. avancer: cf. Advance v.]

1. tr. To raise to a higher estate or rank; to make more prosperous or distinguished. Also absol.a1400 Leg. S. xlviii. 2 (God that thé awansit sa). c1420 Wynt. vi. 58 (prelatis regulare, in till hey solempne greys awawnsyd). ?1438 Alex. i. 1420 (the gude auansit he alwayis). 1456 Hay I. 281/24 (to be hyar avansit and tak mare wagis). a1500 Seven S. 2722 (tham awansit he to riches and gret dignite). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlv. 20 (tyme mispendit may avance no creature). 1513 Doug. x. i. 98 (lat thame be victour quham thou lyst avans). 1567 Sat. P. iv. 25 (quhen sho had auancit me in estate). 1581 Cath. Tr. 85/22 (althocht neuir ane is auancit in ony art vithout ane experimentit maister). —a1568 Bann. MS. 244 a/11 (gif absence micht awance, my hairt is haill possest).

b. refl. Also, to glorify oneself; to boast.a1400 Leg. S. i. 462 (Symon throw pryde avansand hym, sad … ). c1460 Thewis Gud W. 42 (nocht our fer pres hire till awans). a1500 Doug. K. Hart 771 (in ȝour last dayis ȝe may ȝour self avance). Id. Æn. v. vii. 22 (Butes hym avansyt of kyng Amycus blude). c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. clv. 45 (quha him selfe can not gyde nor avance).

2. To promote, help forward.?1438 Alex. i. 785 (how I may avance my lordis honour). 1456 Hay II. 161/33 (till avaunce and encres his prouffit). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 34 (he wald leif na thing undone that micht avance the commounweill); 1533 Livy I. 4/6 (quhat besines may proffitt or avance ȝoure princely state). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 74 (the sinceir word of God for tyll auance). 1578 Conv. Burghs I. 61 (the weyage quhilk we desyre to be maist forderit and avancit).

b. To bring forward, allege, recount.c1475 Wall. ix. 344 (Thomas hard the king his ewill deidis awans).

c. To raise in spirit.1513 Doug. v. iv. 134 (the favorabill forton so gan the breistis of the otheris avance); xiii. ii. 126 (the cristit fowle gan hir curage avans).

3. To raise in repute; to commend, praise.Freq. in to or till advance, to be praised.c1475 Wall. i. 366 (gud serwice, worthi to awance). 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 323 (hir hie bewtie quhilk maist is to avance); iii. 306. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 402 (oftimes avansing his gret manheid). 1535 Stewart 120 (thair is nothing moir gudlie to advance). 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 194 (our quene quhom Poetis sal auance). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 45/30 (ane better trie nor is the auld, quhilk I can not auance). 1567 G. Ball. 118 (our will sall be thy mercie till auance).

4. To put higher in place or earlier in time.c1475 Wall. vii. 179 (aboune Juno Saturn as than awansyt his natur). 1549 Compl. 53/34 (it auancis the day befor the crepusculine).

5. To furnish beforehand; to advance (money).1546 Treas. Acc. VIII. 467 (quhilk he avansit to the comptroller). 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 241 (to furnis and avance ane thousand merkis). 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 19 (to quhame thai haif causit thair thesaurer avance certane sovmes). 1601 Ib. II. 118 (ane hunder pundis avancit before hand).

6. intr. To go forward; to make progress.1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. a ij 3 (gif in the heid greit vertew dois auance). c1590 J. Stewart 67/91 (vith speid for till awance). a1570-86 J. Maitland M. Fol. lxxxviii. 30 (the moir thai wirk the les thair wark awancis). 1588 King Cat. I vj (swa avansand ane day to the end of the ȝere).