advance在法律文件中常見的含義有2個：

(1)預(yù)先，如pay in advance預(yù)先付款；

(2)墊付，如money advanced for sb. to be paid back later暫替他人墊付錢款。

而prior to，在......之前，其含義更接近"before",如Prior to or on the Completion Date, the Buyer must provide the Sellers’ Representative with......，其與advance區(qū)別較大，如advance payment預(yù)付款，payment prior to delivery交貨前付款。

1預(yù)先

No amounts are presently owing to any Group Company as a result of any loan or advance made by any Group Company prior to the date of this Agreement (otherwise than as a result of giving credit in thenormal course of business).

目前不存在由于任何集團(tuán)公司在本協(xié)議簽訂之日以前提供的任何貸款或預(yù)付款而欠付任何集團(tuán)公司的任何款項（由于在正常業(yè)務(wù)過程中給予的信用額度產(chǎn)生的除外）。

2墊付

Client agrees that it will be responsible for payment of Additional Expenses, though CT may from time to time advance such costs.

客戶同意，盡管CT可能不時墊付額外費用，將由客戶最終負(fù)責(zé)支付該額外費用。

轉(zhuǎn)載自：譯問作者：旗渡法務(wù)中心