Pawn
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /pÉ”Ën/
- Rhymes: -É”Ën
- US IPA: /pɔn/
- cot-caught IPA: /pɑn/
- Southern American English IPA: /pɑɒn/
- Homophones: porn non-rhotic accents
Origin 1
From Anglo-Norman paun, poun ("") ( = Old French poon, paon), from Late Latin pedÅ(nem) ("footsoldier"), from Latin pÄ“s, ped- ("foot").
Full definition of pawn
Noun
pawn
(plural pawns)- (chess) The most common chess piece, or a similar piece in a similar game. In chess each side has eight; moves are only forward, attacks are only forward diagonally or en passant.
- (colloquial) Someone who is being manipulated or used to some end, usually not the end that individual would prefer.Though a pawn of the gods, her departure is the precipitating cause of the Trojan War.
- 1908, W. B. M. Ferguson, Zollenstein Chapter 1, “I'm through with all pawn-games,†I laughed. “Come, let us have a game of lansquenet. Either I will take a farewell fall out of you or you will have your sevenfold revengeâ€.
Synonyms
Verb
- (video games) To render one's opponent a mere pawn, especially in a real-time strategy games.
Origin 2
From Middle French pan ("pledge, security"), apparently from a Germanic language (compare Middle Dutch pant, Old High German pfant).
Noun
pawn
(plural pawns)- The state of being held as security for a loan, or as a pledge.All our jewellery was in pawn by this stage.
- ShakespeareMy life I never held but as a pawn
To wage against thy enemies. - An instance of pawning something.
- ShakespeareRedeem from broking pawn the blemish'd crown.
- John DonneAs the morning dew is a pawn of the evening fatness, so, O Lord, let this day's comfort be the earnest of to-morrow's.
- (now rare) An item given as security on a loan, or as a pledge.
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, New York 2001, p. 106:Brokers, takers of pawns, biting userers, I will not admit; yet ... I will tolerate some kind of usery.
- Francis BaconAs for mortgaging or pawning, ... men will not take pawns without use interest.
- (rare) A pawn shop, pawnbroker.
Verb
Synonyms
- (to deposit at a pawn shop) hock