advance vs fail

advance

verb
  • To put forward (an idea, argument etc.); to propose. 

  • To raise (someone) in rank or office; to prefer, to promote. 

  • To make (something) happen at an earlier time or date; to bring forward, to hasten. 

  • To make progress; to do well, to succeed. 

  • To move or push (something) forwards, especially forcefully. 

  • To move forwards; to approach. 

  • To help the progress of (something); to further. 

  • To move forward in time; to progress towards completion. 

  • To raise or increase (a price, rate). 

  • To provide (money or other value) before it is due, or in expectation of some work; to lend. 

  • To increase (a number or amount). 

  • To make a higher bid at an auction. 

adj
  • Completed before necessary or a milestone event. 

  • Preceding. 

  • Forward. 

noun
  • A forward move; improvement or progression. 

  • An opening approach or overture, now especially of an unwelcome or sexual nature. 

  • An amount of money or credit, especially given as a loan, or paid before it is due; an advancement. 

  • An addition to the price; rise in price or value. 

fail

verb
  • Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.) 

  • To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent. 

  • To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits. 

  • To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour. 

  • To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations. 

  • To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence. 

  • To neglect. 

  • To be unsuccessful. 

  • Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly. 

noun
  • A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action). 

  • A failure (condition of being unsuccessful). 

  • A failing grade in an academic examination. 

  • Poor quality; substandard workmanship. 

  • A failure (something incapable of success). 

  • A piece of turf cut from grassland. 

adj
  • Unsuccessful; inadequate; unacceptable in some way. 

How often have the words advance and fail occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )