down payment

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down payment (plural down payments)

1. (law, finance) A payment representing a fraction of the price of something being purchased, made to secure the right to continue making payments towards that purchase.

   Synonym: deposit

   Coordinate terms: advance payment, up-front money, front money

2. (by extension) Any initial commitment signifying an intention to carry out a larger future commitment, even though no legal rights or obligations are secured.

   Her parents considered her school tuition a down payment on her future.

   • 2009 February 5, Barack Obama, My Door is Always Open:

     After decades of empty rhetoric, that's the down payment that we need on energy independence.

   • 2009 April 4, Barack Obama, NATO summit

     These commitments of troops, trainers, and civilians represent a strong down payment on the future of our mission in Afghanistan and on the future of NATO.

   • 2022 March 9, Ben Jones, “RAIL Supplement: Return Ticket”, in RAIL, number 952, page 26 (supplement):

     After all, when you buy a car, you're making a large down payment on future journeys - buying an annual rail pass or railcard should be no different.