progress
noun /ˈprəʊɡrɛs 
/ [mass noun]
/ [mass noun]1Forward or onward movement towards a destination: the darkness did not stop my progress they failed to make any progress up the estuary...
- The noise went on for some considerable time as the traffic in the main street was at a standstill and, despite all the ducking and diving, forward progress was at a snail's pace.
- In such a case the runner gets forward progress without stopping the clock.
- Weeks passed like a leaf floating downstream, unconcerned with progress or destination.
Synonyms
forward movement, onward movement, progression, advance, advancement, headway, passage;
going
1.1 [count noun] archaic A state journey or official tour, especially by royalty.Religious processions and royal progresses have been an important practice in the Indian subcontinent with a complex history of their own for many centuries.
2Development towards an improved or more advanced condition: we are making progress towards equal rights...
- The college is making progress in the ongoing development of educational programmes, services and facilities.
- A youngster who suffers from a rare neurological condition is making progress after swimming with dolphins in America.
- Emergency crews are making progress in fixing the broken levees, but they are in a desperate race to stop the flooding.
Synonyms
development, advance, advancement, headway, step(s) forward, progression, improvement, betterment, growth;
breakthrough
verb /prəˈɡrɛs / [no object]
/ [no object]1Move forward or onward in space or time: as the century progressed the quality of telescopes improved...
- There are many talented young players on this team and as time progresses we can look forward to bigger and greater achievements.
- It progresses like a glacier moving across a continent.
- As I progressed forward I gradually gained height until I had climbed right up to the top of the rift and I could tell from the texture of the passage that few people had been this way.
Synonyms
go, make one's way, move, move forward, go forward, proceed, continue, advance, go on, make progress, make headway, press on, gain ground, push forward, go/forge ahead, work one's way
1.1 [with object] (usually as adjective progressed) Astrology Calculate the position of (a planet) or of all the planets and coordinates of (a chart) according to the technique of progression.Twin Souls meet when there's a personal planet progressed to the sun/moon midpoint on each natal chart.
2Develop towards an improved or more advanced condition: work on the pond is progressing...
- Consequently, the majority of key avian traits do not progress towards the avian condition!
- I accept his evidence that her condition was progressing normally until he found the cysts.
- Then I had dreams of a nation progressing towards prosperity and empowerment.
Synonyms
develop, make progress, advance, make headway, take steps forward, make strides, get better, come on, come along, move on, get on, gain ground, shape up, improve, thrive, prosper, blossom, flourish;
grow, expand, increase, mature, evolve
informal be getting there
2.1 [with object] Cause (a task or undertaking) to make progress: I cannot predict how quickly we can progress the matter...
- There is a backstory that progresses your single-player missions.
- The delay was not the fault of local clinicians and managers, who have done their best to progress matters and involve patients, the public and staff in the process.
- The response was that he was threatened with discipline because it was his personal matter, and he was using the association to progress a personal matter.
Phrases
in progress
Origin
Late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin progressus 'an advance', from the verb progredi, from pro- 'forward' + gradi 'to walk'. The verb became obsolete in British English use at the end of the 17th century and was readopted from American English in the early 19th century.
Latin progressus ‘an advance’, was formed from pro- ‘forward’ and gradi ‘to walk, proceed’. Gradi is also found in regress (Late Middle English) ‘walk backwards’, aggression (early 17th century) originally ‘an attack’ by way of ‘proceeding towards’, and ingredients (Late Middle English) ‘things that enter into something’.