pawn
pawn Lexical Profile
pawn Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A chess piece of the smallest size and value, each player starting the game with eight of them positioned on the second rank.
"She advanced her king's pawn two squares on the opening move of the tournament."
A person used or manipulated by others to further their own purposes.
"The young clerk realized he had been used as a mere pawn in the corporate rivalry."
The state of being deposited or held as security for a loan, or an object left in such a state.
"His grandfather's pocket watch remained in pawn until he received his monthly wages."
• verb
To deposit an object with a pawnbroker as security for money lent.
"During the economic downturn, he had to pawn his camera to pay the month's rent."
• Rhymes for pawn
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The chess sense derives from Anglo-French 'paun' and Old French 'peon', from Medieval Latin 'pedonem' meaning 'foot soldier' (from Latin 'pes', meaning 'foot'). The financial pledge sense is a separate word borrowed from Old French 'pan', meaning 'pledge, security, or piece of cloth'.