0 an amount of money that you pay at the time that you buy something but is only a part of the total cost of that thing. You usually pay the rest of the cost over a period of time: --
1 an amount of money that is part of the total cost, paid at the time when you buy something --
2 a payment of part of the total cost of something that you make when you buy it. The rest of the cost is usually paid over a period of time: --
make/put a down payment on sth I've put a down payment on a new TV.
They must put down some money to begin with, as no lawyer will take on a case without a down payment to cover his services.
There can be a down payment at the beginning, if the court so decides.
Also, people who cannot afford to pay a lump sum down payment might be able to pay their licence fee in weekly or monthly instalments.
Equally, nothing in it strikes at the idea that in a proper case a substantial down payment should be ordered by the court.
But there are better reasons why the landlords should be entitled to treat the initial down payment as a capital sum.
It slows down payment and increases the number of errors.
That person may not have quite sufficient savings to make the down payment required for the mortgage.
The right figure at the moment, also in relation to the percentage of down payment, is 30 months.