Abschlag

Abschlag is a German noun (feminine) with several related but distinct meanings. In finance and business it most commonly denotes a partial payment made before the full amount is due. An Abschlagszahlung is an installment paid during the course of a project or service contract, for example in construction, public procurement, or ongoing maintenance arrangements. An accompanying Ab-schlagsrechnung is the interim invoice that requests such partial payments and is typically linked to project milestones or time-based milestones. The remaining balance is settled in a final Rechnung after completion.

In sports, especially golf, Abschlag refers to the initial stroke from the tee that starts play on a hole. The term can also denote the teeing ground itself, the area from which the drive is played. In this sense, Abschlag emphasizes the act of striking the ball away to begin the hole.

There are other, rarer uses of the term in historical or regional language, where Abschlag can mean a reduction or deduction in charges or prices. In contemporary standard usage these senses are uncommon, and phrases such as Preisnachlass, Rabatt, or Skonto are more typical for indicating a price reduction.

Etymologically, Abschlag derives from the verb abschlagen, meaning to strike off or cut away, reflecting the sense of moving a portion of payment or starting a stroke. The form Abschläge appears in plural when referring to multiple partial payments or multiple strokes in golf.

Examples: In a construction contract, the client makes an Abschlagszahlung after the foundation is completed; the final settlement follows with the rest of the amount. In golf, a good Abschlag sets up the next play from the tee.