advantage
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ədˈvɑːn.tɪd͡ʒ/
ipa: /ədˈvæn.(t)ɪd͡ʒ/
note: Indic
ipa: /əɖˈvɑɳˌʈedʒ/
Forms: form: advantages
form: advauntage
Etymology: From Middle English avantage, avauntage, from Old French avantage, from avant (“before”), from Late Latin ab ante. The spelling with d originates in a latinizing hypercorrection, the a- being falsely supposed to be from Latin ad (see advance). For sense development, compare foredeal.
Senses: examples: text: The enemy had the advantage of a more elevated position.
text: Give me advantage of some brief discourse.
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
text: the advantages of a close alliance
ref: 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XLV, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
text: In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.
ref: 2013 June 7, Ed Pilkington, “‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 6:
glosses: Any condition, circumstance, opportunity or means, particularly favorable or chance to success, or to any desired end.
examples: text: Lest Satan should get an advantage of us.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians 2:11:
glosses: Superiority; mastery; — used with of to specify its nature or with over to specify the other party.
examples: text: the advantage of a good constitution
text: Having the faster car is of little advantage.
glosses: Superiority of state, or that which gives it; benefit; gain; profit
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
tennis
glosses: The score where one player wins a point after deuce but needs the next to carry the game.
examples: text: Webb played an advantage that enabled Cazorla to supply a low cross from the left for Giroud to sweep home first time, despite Gallas and Vertonghen being in close attendance.
ref: 2012 November 17, “Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport:
topics: ball-games
games
hobbies
lifestyle
soccer
sports
glosses: The continuation of the game after a foul against the attacking team, because the attacking team are in an advantageous position.
examples: text: And with advantage means to pay thy love.
ref: c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
glosses: Interest of money; increase; overplus (as the thirteenth in the baker's dozen).
Synonyms: sense: favorable condition or position
word: edge
sense: favorable condition or position
word: vantage
sense: superiority of state, positive aspect
word: benefit
sense: superiority of state, positive aspect
word: perk
sense: superiority of state, positive aspect
word: upside
sense: superiority of state, positive aspect
word: pro
sense: superiority of state, positive aspect
word: foredeal
sense: in tennis
word: ad
Derived terms: absolute advantage
advantage gambling
advantage ground
advantageous
advantageously
advantageousness
advantage play
advantage player
comparative advantage
competitive advantage
counteradvantage
have the advantage
have the advantage of someone
home advantage
home field advantage
mechanical advantage
overadvantage
play the advantage
rest of advantage
selective advantage
take advantage
take advantage of
take at advantage
to one's advantage
underadvantage
Related terms: advance
vantage