/ pɔːn; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a chess piece of the smallest size and least value. Each player has eight pawns at the start of a game.
2.
a person or group whose actions are controlled by more powerful people :
The hostages are being used as political pawns.
•
IDIOMS
- in pawn
■ verb
[ vn ] to leave an object with a pawnbroker in exchange for money. The object is returned to the owner if he or she pays back the money within an agreed period of time. If not, it can be sold.
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun late Middle English : from Anglo-Norman French poun , from medieval Latin pedo , pedon- foot soldier, from Latin pes , ped- foot. Compare with peon .
verb late 15th cent. (as a noun): from Old French pan pledge, security, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch pand and German Pfand .