pawn
/ˈpoːn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.53 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To give as security on a loan of money; especially, to deposit (something) at a pawn shop.
Transitive verb
noun
The most numerous chess piece, or a similar piece in a similar game. In chess, each side starts with eight; moves are only forward, and attacks are only diagonally or en passant.
noun
A person being manipulated by another, being used to some end.
Example Sentences
- "All our jewellery was in pawn by this stage."
- "Redeem from broking pawn the blemish'd crown."
- "As therefore the morning devv, is a pavvne of the evenings fatneſſe, ſo, O Lord, let this daies comfort be the earneſt of to morrowes, […]"
- "My life I never held but as a pawn / To wage against thy enemies."
- "Brokers, takers of pawns, biting userers, I will not admit; yet […] I will tolerate some kind of usery."
- "As for mortgaging or pawning,[…]men will not take pawns without use [i.e. interest]."
Etymology
From Middle English paun, pawyn, pawnd, from Old French pan, pant (“pledge for a payment”), from a Germanic language, perhaps Frankish *pand (“deposit, security, pledge”), further origin uncertain. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Pound (“deposit, pledge, pawn”), West Frisian pân (“pawn”), Dutch pand (“pledge, pawn”), German Low German Pand (“deposit, pledge, pawn”), German Pfand (“deposit, pledge, pawn”), Swedish pant (“pledge, pawn”), Faroese pantur (“security, lien”), Icelandic pantur (“pledge, security, pawn”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈpoːn/
- British English: /ˈpɔːn/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
en passant
pawn race
pawn storm
open file
half-open file
closed file
Appendix:Chess pieces
pawn off as