up-front

American  

[uhp-fruhnt] / ˈʌpˈfrʌnt /

adjective

1. invested or paid in advance or as beginning capital.

   an up-front fee of five percent and an additional five percent when the job is done.

2. honest; candid; straightforward.

   He's very up-front about discussing his past.

3. conspicuous or prominent.

   The company has an up-front position in its industry.

4. located in the front or forward section.

   to request up-front seats on a plane.

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adverb

1. as an initial investment, beginning capital, or an advance payment.

   They'll need a half-million dollars up-front before opening the business.

2. before other payments, deductions, or returning a profit.

   Estimated operating expenses will be deducted up-front.

up front Idioms  

1. In the forward section, as of an airplane or theater. For example, We'd like two seats as far up front as possible . [First half of 1900s]

2. Paid in advance, as in We need at least half of the money for the production up front . [ Colloquial ; c. 1930]

3. Candid, direct, as in Now tell me straight up front what you think of this outfit . [Second half of 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of up-front

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

And it would speed up-front payments to policyholders whose homes have burned down.

From Los Angeles Times

With no up-front costs for attempting to enroll, phonies threw thousands of identities at the system’s 116 schools, which were technologically unprepared for the assaults.

From Los Angeles Times

Contributions are made with after-tax dollars, meaning you don’t get an up-front tax deduction, but qualified distributions later in life are entirely tax-free.

From MarketWatch

Your favorite store might offer enticing up-front benefits to hook you.

From MarketWatch

Andrew had taken on a 75-year lease of Royal Lodge in 2003, paying over £8.5m up-front to cover renovation costs and paying in advance to remove any requirement for rent, based on a notional rent of £260,000 per year.

From BBC