advantage

advantage
advantage 1 Advantage, handicap, allowance, odds, edge denote a factor or set of factors in a competition or rivalry giving one person or side a position of superiority over the other.
Advantage is the general term, and implies superiority of any kind
{

the adult, with trained powers, has an immense advantage over the child in the acquisition of information— Eliot

}
A handicap is something, typically an artificial advantage, designed to equalize competition; thus, in golf, the handicap assigned a player is the difference between the average of a certain number of his best scores and par for the course; for instance, if the player’s best-score average is 75 and par is 72, his handicap is 3, and when he plays in a handicap match the player is allowed to deduct three strokes from his total score.
An allowance is an advantageous handicap stated as a deduction of some sort.
In horse racing an allowance is a deduction from the weight that the rules require a horse to carry, granted to a horse considered to be at a disadvantage.
Odds usually implies a material advantage as in strength, numbers, or resources. It is often used of such an advantage possessed by the opposite side
{

managed to beat the odds against him— O’Leary

}
{

the peculiarly British quality . . . of sticking out against oddsContemporary Review

}
Advantage is often stated as a difference, odds as a ratio
{

one boxer has an advantage of ten pounds in weight

}
{

one army has odds of two to one over the other

}
Odds may also denote an equalizing concession made to an inferior competitor; it then differs from handicap and allowance in that the concession is made by the superior competitor and not assigned by a third party
{

each side feels that it cannot allow any odds to the other— Bryce

}
Edge may be an equivalent of advantage or odds but usually implies a slight but decisive superiority
{

here we have the edge on our rivals, not only because of our superior location, but also because we are reputedly reckless about reducing prices— Publishers’ Weekly

}
Analogous words: preeminence, superlativeness (see corresponding adjectives at SUPREME): *supremacy, ascendancy
Antonyms: disadvantage: handicap (in extended sense)
Contrasted words: *obstacle, obstruction, impediment, bar
2 *use, service, account, profit, avail
Analogous words: improvement, betterment (see corresponding verbs at IMPROVE): enhancement, heightening (see corresponding verbs at INTENSIFY): benefit (see corresponding verb at BENEFIT)
Antonyms: detriment
Contrasted words: harm, hurt, damage, *injury

New Dictionary of Synonyms. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • advantage — ad‧van‧tage [ədˈvɑːntɪdʒ ǁ ədˈvæn ] noun [countable, uncountable] something that helps you to be better or more successful than others: • America s lead in aerospace is one of its most important competitive advantages. • Government subsidies give …   Financial and business terms

  • Advantage — Ad*van tage (?; 61, 48), n. [OE. avantage, avauntage, F. avantage, fr. avant before. See {Advance}, and cf. {Vantage}.] 1. Any condition, circumstance, opportunity, or means, particularly favorable to success, or to any desired end; benefit; as,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Advantage — may refer to:*A beneficial factor or combination of factors. *In tennis, advantage is when one player wins a point from a deuce and needs one more point to win the game. (See Tennis terminology#A) *In association football (soccer), advantage is a …   Wikipedia

  • advantage — [ad vant′ij, ədvant′ij] n. [ME avantage, avauntage < OFr avantage < avant, before < L ab + ante: see ADVANCE] 1. a more favorable position; superiority: often with of or over 2. a favorable or beneficial circumstance, event, etc. 3. gain …   English World dictionary

  • Advantage 2 U — (Пуне,Индия) Категория отеля: Адрес: Flat 504, Tower 13, Blue Ridge Co.Op. Hsg. Soc …   Каталог отелей

  • Advantage — Ad*van tage, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Advantaged}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Advantaging}.] [F. avantager, fr. avantage. See {Advance}.] To give an advantage to; to further; to promote; to benefit; to profit. [1913 Webster] The truth is, the archbishop s own… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • advantage — (n.) early 14c., avantage, position of being in advance of another, from O.Fr. avantage advantage, profit, superiority, from avant before, probably via an unrecorded L.L. *abantaticum, from L. abante (see ADVANCE (Cf. advance)). The d is a 16c.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • advantage — ► NOUN 1) a condition or circumstance that puts one in a favourable position. 2) Tennis a score marking a point interim between deuce and winning the game. ► VERB ▪ be of benefit to. ● take advantage of Cf. ↑take advantage of …   English terms dictionary

  • advantage — I noun accommodation, aid, approval, ascendancy, asset, assistance, authority, avail, behoof, benefit, choice, convenience, dominance, easement, edge, eminence, expedience, favor, favorable opportunity, favoring circumstance, gain, good, head… …   Law dictionary

  • advantage — [n] benefit, favored position or circumstance aid, ascendancy, asset, assistance, authority, avail, blessing, boon, break, choice, comfort, convenience, dominance, edge, eminence, expediency, favor, gain, good, gratification, help, hold,… …   New thesaurus

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”