rejection / removal
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to reject / be rejected
A clear and often brusque rejection or refusal of a wish, proposal, or advance.
Er hat sie nach einem Date gefragt, aber eine klare Abfuhr bekommen.
He asked her out on a date, but got a clear rejection.
The word 'Abfuhr' comes from the verb 'abfahren' (to depart / drive away). The basic idea of driving away or sending away appears in all its meanings: you send a person away (rejection), the garbage is taken away (disposal), or a team is figuratively 'driven' off the field (defeat).
Die laute Musik führte zur Abfuhr der Gäste durch den Hotelmanager.
The loud music led to the guests being sent away by the hotel manager.
This meaning is almost always used in fixed combinations with verbs. You 'erteilt' jemandem eine Abfuhr (give someone a rejection, active), or you 'bekommt' or 'erhält' eine Abfuhr (get/receive a rejection, passive).
Sie hat ihm eine eiskalte Abfuhr erteilt.
She gave him an ice-cold rejection.
In the context of disposal, 'Abfuhr' often appears in compound words such as 'Müllabfuhr' (garbage collection) or 'Sperrmüllabfuhr' (bulky waste collection). People also speak of the 'Abfuhr von Bauschutt' (removal of construction rubble) or the 'Abfuhr von Gartenabfällen' (removal of garden waste).
Die Müllabfuhr kommt bei uns immer dienstags.
Garbage collection comes to our place every Tuesday.
This colloquial meaning is typical of sports reporting. It is often intensified with adjectives that emphasize how clear the defeat was, e.g. 'eine herbe Abfuhr' (a heavy defeat), 'eine bittere Abfuhr' (a bitter defeat), or 'eine deutliche Abfuhr' (a clear defeat).
Der Tennisprofi erlitt im Halbfinale eine herbe Abfuhr.
The tennis pro suffered a heavy defeat in the semifinal.
defeat
'die Niederlage' and 'die Abfuhr' can both mean that someone loses in a competition. 'Niederlage' is the neutral and general word. You can use it in sports, in an argument, or in a competition. 'Abfuhr' is more colloquial in this meaning and often sounds stronger: it is usually about a clear or heavy defeat. In a factual text, 'Niederlage' is more natural. In conversations about sports, 'Abfuhr' can fit if the result was especially bad.
Im Auswärtsspiel hat der Verein eine bittere Abfuhr bekommen.
The club suffered a bitter defeat in the away game.
Trotz der Niederlage blieb der Trainer ruhig und lobte die Spieler.
Despite the defeat, the coach stayed calm and praised the players.