Meaning of Pawn | Babel Free

Definitions

1. The state of being held as security for a loan, or as a pledge.
   uncountable
2. 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.
3. A gallery.
4. An instance of pawning something.
   countable, uncountable
5. A person being manipulated by another, being used to some end.
   idiomatic
6. An item given as security on a loan, or as a pledge.
   archaic, countable, uncountable
7. A pawnshop; pawnbroker.
   countable, rare, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“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].”

“The pawn may move forward to the square immediately in front of it on the same file, provided that this square is unoccupied […] Consequently, in the initial position the white pieces and pawns are placed on the first and second ranks; the black pieces and pawns on the eighth and seventh ranks.”

“Near-synonym: chess piece”

“Though a pawn of the gods, her departure is the precipitating cause of the Trojan War.”

“He delivered a broadside to the RMT leadership, saying: "This response to a significantly enhanced offer exposes their true priority - using the British public and NR workers as pawns in a fight with the Government.”

“A tray filled with pawns, prepared with the usual ingredients, as lime cuttie (a bitter gum), betel-nut, tobacco, spices, &c.”

“To our English taste, pawn is very offensive; but the natives of India relish it, and regard it as a necessity. It is much eaten by Mohammedans of both sexes, and by the natives of Bengal.”

CEFR level