PAWN


Meaning of PAWN in English

I. ˈpȯn, ˈpän noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English paun, modification (probably influenced by MFlemish paen pawn, from Middle French pan ) of Middle French pan, probably from pan piece of cloth, pane; from the practice of holding a garment as security — more at pane

1.

a. : something delivered to or deposited with another as security for a loan

b. : a person left as a hostage

he must leave behind for pawns, his mother, wife, and son — John Dryden

2. : the state of being pledged

the hock shop continued to take into pawn things to charm — John McNulty

3.

a. : something used as a pledge : earnest , guaranty

the new school is the pawn given by the community to its children

b. : gage 2

4. : the act of pawning

5. : a slave held as security for debt

Synonyms: see pledge

II. transitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

: to give or deposit in pledge or as security for the payment of a loan, a debt, or for the performance of some action : put in pawn : pledge , stake , wager

in the end he had to pawn that coat — Vicki Baum

pawn my victories, all my honors to you — Shakespeare

he now pawned his royal word — T.B.Macaulay

exploited their own shame, pawning their dignity for profit — Lillian Smith

III. noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English pown, poune, from Middle French poon, from Medieval Latin pedon-, pedo foot soldier, from Late Latin, one who has broad feet, from Latin ped-, pes foot — more at foot

1.

a. : one of the chessmen of least value having the power to move only one square forward at a time or at option two on its first move and to capture an enemy only on either of the two squares diagonally forward

b. : a counter in Polish checkers

2. : one that can be used often to his own disadvantage to further the purposes of another

have become pawns in the hands of those who thrive on agitation and unrest — Elijah Adlow

innocent-eyed but willing pawn of the family — Leo Gershoy

IV. noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English poune, from Middle French poun, paon, from Latin pavon-, pavo peacock

archaic : peacock

V. noun

( -s )

Etymology: probably from Middle Dutch paen hall, vestibule, from Middle French pan pane — more at pane

: a gallery or covered passage especially in a bazaar

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.