progress

Universal Words noun, verb noun [U] 1 the process of improving or developing, or of getting nearer to achieving or completing sth: to make slow / steady / rapid / good progress * economic / scientific / technical progress * We have made great progress in controlling inflation. * They asked for a progress report on the project. 2 movement forwards or towards a place: She watched his slow progress down the steep slope. * There wasn't much traffic so we made good progress. IDIOMS in progress (formal) happening at this time: Work on the new offices is now in progress. * Please be quiet-examination in progress. verb [V] 1 to improve or develop over a period of time; to make progress: The course allows students to progress at their own speed. * Work on the new road is progressing slowly. 2 [+adv./prep.] (formal) to move forward: The line of traffic progressed slowly through the town. * (figurative) Cases can take months to progress through the courts. 3 to go forward in time: The weather became colder as the day progressed. PHRASALVERBS progress to sth to move on from doing one thing to doing sth else: She started off playing the recorder and then progressed to the clarinet.