pawn 
pawn¹
Definition
pawn (pôn)
noun
- anything given as security, as for a debt, performance of an action, etc.; pledge; guaranty
- a hostage
- the state of being pledged to put a ring in pawn
- the act of pawning
Etymology: LME paun < MFr pan, piece of cloth < L pannus, cloth (? used as medium of exchange): see pane
transitive verb
- to give as security; put in pawn
- to stake, wager, or risk to pawn one's honor
pawn′·age noun
pawn′er noun or paw′·nor
pawn off
palm off (see phrase under palm)
pawn²
Definition
pawn (pôn)
noun
- a chessman of the lowest value: it can be moved only forward and one square at a time (or two squares on its first move), but it captures with a diagonal move
- a person used to advance another's purposes; tool
Etymology: ME poun < OFr peon < ML pedo (gen. pedonis), foot soldier < LL, one who has flat feet < L pes, foot
pawn
Synonyms
pawn
n.
pawn
Synonyms
pawn
v.
pawn
Law Definition
n
An item of personal property given to secure a monetary loan; something
held as security against a monetary loan.
v
To borrow money against a piece of personal property that is held by the lender
as security.
pawn
Usage Examples
Preposition: on
- chessboard: They can be merely cash-cows to local authorities and pawns on the chessboard of traffic management to planners.
Adjective modifier
- unwitting: Throughout time, man has been an unwitting pawn in the battle waged between heaven and hell.
- unwilling: The island of Melos found itself an unwilling pawn in a vicious struggle between the Athenian and Spartan alliances.
- mere: They fail to realize to what extent they are mere pawns in the game.
- political: The disabled person gets stuck in the middle like some kind of political pawn.
- white: As in my case, where the white pawn attacks me from behind.
Converse of object
- become: No-one should ever become a pawn in our ' game of life ' .
- pass: Still suffering from less space and faced with a central passed pawn tho he could not really mount a serious winning challenge.
- win: In round 9, I won a pawn against the fifteen year-old Indian girl, only to blunder it back.
- take: It is like they are playing a chess game but have had all their pawns taken away before they start.
- have: They played on, but with Kevin now having a pawn for the exchange, the game was soon drawn.
Modifies a noun
- broker: This allows you to hand write in the pawn broker 's entries.
- shop: We also regrettably have two pawn shops, which is a worrying sign of the times.
- ticket: A soldier's blouse, with sergeant ' stripes, plus blood stains was found together with a pawn ticket for a Rolex watch.
- structure: Learn the key techniques and classic moves of the Chess Master, including basic and advanced tactics, combinations, sacrifices and pawn structures.
Preposition: in
- game: She was herself a kind of toy, a pawn in a chess game.
- struggle: Profit sharing in Iran became a pawn in a political struggle, involving riots, bloodshed, international intrigue.
- battle: Children are also prone to becoming pawns in battles surrounding the ending of a marriage.
- hand: In my mind's eye, I decided to hold one pawn in each hand.
Preposition: of
- landlord: Periods of or pawn of a landlord over the holidays.
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