Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for pawn

pawn

1

[ pawn ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to deposit as security, as for money borrowed, especially with a pawnbroker:

    He raised the money by pawning his watch.

  2. to pawn one's life.



noun

  1. the state of being deposited or held as security, especially with or by a pawnbroker:

    jewels in pawn.

  2. something given or deposited as security, as for money borrowed.

    Synonyms: pledge

  3. a person serving as security; hostage.
  4. the act of pawning.

pawn

2

[ pawn ]

noun

  1. Chess. one of eight men of one color and of the lowest value, usually moved one square at a time vertically and capturing diagonally.
  2. someone who is used or manipulated to further another person's purposes.

    Synonyms: dupe, tool, puppet

pawn

1

/ pɔːn /

verb

  1. to deposit (an article) as security for the repayment of a loan, esp from a pawnbroker
  2. to stake

    to pawn one's honour



noun

  1. an article deposited as security
  2. the condition of being so deposited (esp in the phrase in pawn )
  3. a person or thing that is held as a security, esp a hostage
  4. the act of pawning

pawn

2

/ pɔːn /

noun

  1. See piece
    a chessman of the lowest theoretical value, limited to forward moves of one square at a time with the option of two squares on its initial move: it captures with a diagonal move only P Compare piece
  2. a person, group, etc, manipulated by another

Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈpawnage, noun

Discover More

Other Words From

  • pawna·ble adjective
  • pawn·er [paw, -ner], paw·nor [paw, -ner, -nawr], noun
  • un·pawned adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pawn1

First recorded in 1490–1500; noun from Middle French pan; Old French pan(d), pant, apparently from West Germanic; compare Old Frisian pand, Old Saxon, Middle Dutch pant, German Pfand; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of pawn2

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English poun(e), paun, from Anglo-French, equivalent to Middle French poon, variant of paon, earlier pe(h)on “foot soldier,” literally, “walker”; peon 1

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pawn1

C15: from Old French pan security, from Latin pannus cloth, apparently because clothing was often left as a surety; compare Middle Flemish paen pawn, German Pfand pledge

Origin of pawn2

C14: from Anglo-Norman poun, from Old French pehon, from Medieval Latin pedō infantryman, from Latin pēs foot

Discover More

Example Sentences

He is a possible solution to the Nationals’ need for middle-of-the-order offense — and not just another pawn in Pittsburgh’s low-cost rebuild.

Many pawn businesses are multigenerational not only in ownership but in customers.

From Vox

Perry Lewin has been in the pawn industry for 28 years, but he’s never quite seen a year like this one.

From Vox

Continuing to prop him up in the media as a political pawn leaves them unable to do so.

Some scientists fear that the vaccine could become a pawn in American election politics and have cautioned against distributing an untested injection.

They were getting more imaginative,” a pawn shop owner thinks of his addict customers in “Back of Beyond.

“Congo was clearly just a pawn in the global chessboard of West vs. East,” Holm says.

Barely Legal Pawn stars the duo as unscrupulous, possibly deranged pawnshop employees.

With Suzanne, Vee saw someone who could be a pawn in her chess game.

Yet, she is still very much a pawn in the system—her body is actively sold to the highest bidder.

She never dreamed that she herself was a pawn in the game that was intended to bring Nana Sahib to Delhi.

Rat this pawn of the Eye may have been, but even a cornered rat will fight with the courage of a lion.

Afterwards she married one of the most noted scamps in Paris, who wanted a pretty wife as a pawn in some game of his.

To be checkmated by an 'errant' pawn in the very middle of the board is a most ignominious way of losing the game.

In default of the usual bazaars OLeary had returned with the spoils of half a dozen pawn-shops.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

firkin

[fur-kin ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


pawlpawnage