down payment

plural down payments

1. businessA payment representing a fraction of the price of something being purchased, made to secure the right to continue making payments towards that purchase.

   Synonyms: deposit

2. broadlyAny 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.

   3 more examples

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

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

   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.

   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.

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