From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Advertisement \Ad*ver"tise*ment\ ([a^]d*v[~e]r"t[i^]z*ment or
[a^]d`v[~e]r*t[imac]z"ment; 277), n. [F. avertisement,
formerly also spelled advertissement, a warning, giving
notice, fr. avertir.]
1. The act of informing or notifying; notification. [Archaic]
[1913 Webster]
An advertisement of danger. --Bp. Burnet.
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2. Admonition; advice; warning. [Obs.]
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Therefore give me no counsel:
My griefs cry louder than advertisement. --Shak.
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3. A public notice, especially a paid notice in some public
print; anything that advertises; as, a newspaper
containing many advertisements.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
advertisement
n 1: a public promotion of some product or service [syn: ad,
advertisement, advertizement, advertising,
advertizing, advert]