PAWN


Meaning of PAWN in English

n.

Pronunciation: ' po ̇ n, ' pän

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English pown, from Anglo-French peoun, paun, from Medieval Latin pedon-, pedo foot soldier, from Latin ped-, pes foot ― more at FOOT

Date: 14th century

1 : one of the chessmen of least value having the power to move only forward ordinarily one square at a time, to capture only diagonally forward, and to be promoted to any piece except a king upon reaching the eighth rank

2 : one that can be used to further the purposes of another

Merriam Webster Collegiate English Dictionary.      Merriam Webster - Энциклопедический словарь английского языка.