Advance vs Forth and fear no darkness

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Advance

Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun

Forth and fear no darkness

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Advance
 AdvanceForth and fear no darkness
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ədˈvɑːns/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ədˈvæns/"]/🇬🇧 //fɔːθ ənd fɪər nəʊ ˈdɑːknəs//🇺🇸 //fɔrθ ənd fɪər noʊ ˈdɑrk.nəs//
MeaningTo move forward or make progress.Go forward without being afraid.
ExampleShe received an advance on her salary this month.In tough times, let us go forth and fear no darkness together.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelB2-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsbig, considerable, dramatic, make, advance in, advance on, advance towards/​toward, rapid, Allied, British, make, order, halt, advance on, advance to, advance towards/​toward, large, cash, give, pay, get, advance of, advance on, amorous, sexual, make, advance togo forth, fear no darkness, advance bravely, face challenges, move ahead
Antonymsretreat, halt, decline-
Common mistakes'Advance' is sometimes confused with 'advancement', which means progress in a job or career., Learners may misuse 'advance' when they mean 'wait' instead of moving forward., Some may think 'advance' only applies to physical movement, excluding abstract uses like 'advancing knowledge'.Misunderstanding 'forth' as 'fourth'., Using it verbatim without understanding the context of bravery., Misplacing punctuation when quoting.
Usage notesUse 'advance' in both formal and informal contexts, often when discussing progress or improvement. Not typically used in casual conversation without context.Often used to encourage bravery. Suitable in motivational contexts or literature; could be less appropriate in formal writing.

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Advance
Forth and fear no darkness

Frequently asked questions: Advance vs Forth and fear no darkness

What's the difference between Advance and Forth and fear no darkness?

Advance: To move forward or make progress. Forth and fear no darkness: Go forward without being afraid.

Which is more common: Advance and Forth and fear no darkness?

Advance is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Advance: She received an advance on her salary this month. Forth and fear no darkness: In tough times, let us go forth and fear no darkness together.

Can I use Advance and Forth and fear no darkness interchangeably?

Not always. Advance and Forth and fear no darkness are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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