Search

the act or practice of calling public attention to one’s product, service, need, etc., especially by paid announcements in newspapers and magazines, over radio or television, on billboards, etc.:
to get more customers by advertising.
paid announcements; .
the profession of planning, designing, and writing .
to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it:
to advertise a new brand of toothpaste.
to give information to the public about; announce publicly in a newspaper, on radio or television, etc.:
to advertise a reward.
to call attention to, in a boastful or ostentatious manner:
Stop advertising yourself!
Obsolete. to give notice, advice, or information to; inform:
I advertised him of my intention.
Obsolete. to admonish; warn.
to ask for something by placing a notice in a newspaper, over radio or television, etc.:
to advertise for a house to rent.
to offer goods for sale or rent, solicit funds, etc., by means of advertisements:
It pays to advertise.
Cards.

Poker. to bluff so as to make the bluff obvious.
Rummy. to discard a card in order to induce an opponent to discard one of the same suit or denomination.

Contemporary Examples

A spokesperson for Otsuka denied that the advertising is at odds with the science.
Mother’s Little Anti-Psychotic Is Worth $6.9 Billion A Year Jay Michaelson November 8, 2014

Others pointed out that when Groupon cut back on its advertising spending, its growth rate also slowed down.
Groupon’s No Bargain Dan Lyons November 3, 2011

Coupons basically serve two purposes: advertising, and price discrimination.
Groupon Fires its CEO Megan McArdle February 27, 2013

Thus far, Walmart has tried to overcome such resistance with advertising, lobbying, the lure of jobs, and occasional threats.
Walmart’s Anti-Union Wage Plans Earn a Cold Shoulder From Big Cities Daniel Gross July 10, 2013

Whether it can generate consistent revenue based on advertising or yet-to-be-determined fees is still to be determined.
Wall Street, not Facebook, Bears Most of the Blame for the Company’s IPO Debacle Zachary Karabell May 23, 2012

Historical Examples

advertising Minnesota apples has been attempted this past year.
Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota, 1916 Various

And because I was getting results I got a lot of advertising.
K Mary Roberts Rinehart

The business man must be sure of these details in order to know that his letters and advertising matter are correct.
Business English Rose Buhlig

They talked loudly, advertising their presence above the quieter groups.
Louisiana Lou William West Winter

Advertise your list, and do not for a moment think that great literature, because it is great, needs no advertising.
Papers and Proceedings of the Thirty-fourth Annual Meeting of the American Library Association Held at Ottawa, Canada June 26-July 2, 1912 Various

noun
the promotion of goods or services for sale through impersonal media, such as radio or television
the business that specializes in creating such publicity
advertisements collectively; publicity
verb
to present or praise (goods, a service, etc) to the public, esp in order to encourage sales
to make (something, such as a vacancy, article for sale, etc) publicly known, as to possible applicants, buyers, etc: to advertise a job
(intransitive) foll by for. to make a public request (for), esp in a newspaper, etc: she advertised for a cook
(obsolete) to warn; caution
v.

early 15c., “to take notice of,” from Middle French advertiss-, present participle stem of a(d)vertir “to warn” (12c.), from Latin advertere “turn toward,” from ad- “toward” (see ad-) + vertere “to turn” (see versus).

Sense shifted to “to give notice to others, warn” (late 15c.) by influence of advertisement; specific meaning “to call attention to goods for sale, rewards, etc.” had emerged by late 18c. Original meaning remains in the verb advert “to give attention to.” Related: Advertised; advertising.