verb
Uncommon
pawn
PAWN
Pawn (verb) means to leave an item with a pawnbroker as security in exchange for money. Example: “He pawned his watch to cover the rent.”
verb
1
To leave an item with a pawnbroker as security in exchange for money.
"He pawned his watch to cover the rent."
noun
1
The least valuable chess piece, which moves forward and captures diagonally.
"She sacrificed a pawn to open up an attack on the king."
2
A person being used or manipulated by someone more powerful, for their own ends.
"The intern felt like a pawn in the executives' office politics."
How to use pawn
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo trade an item for cash as security on a loan; or, in chess, the weakest piece; or, figuratively, someone being used by others.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "porn" or "pawn" as a homophone of "paw" plus "n" — it's unrelated to paws.
Common pairings
pawn a ring
a pawn shop
a pawn in someone's game
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Word forms
- Plural
- pawns
- Third person singular
- pawns
- Past tense
- pawned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He _____ his watch to cover the rent.
Etymology
From Old French pan ("pledge for payment"), likely from a Germanic word for "deposit" or "security."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pawn
See all rhymes for pawn →Frequently asked questions
What does “pawn” mean?
The word “pawn” means to leave an item with a pawnbroker as security in exchange for money. In plain terms, to trade an item for cash as security on a loan; or, in chess, the weakest piece; or, figuratively, someone being used by others.
How do you pronounce “pawn”?
“Pawn” is pronounced PAWN (/ˈpɔn/ in IPA).
How do you use “pawn” in a sentence?
Here is “pawn” used in a sentence: “He pawned his watch to cover the rent.”
What part of speech is “pawn”?
Depending on how it is used, “pawn” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “pawn” come from?
The word “pawn” comes from Old French. From Old French pan ("pledge for payment"), likely from a Germanic word for "deposit" or "security.".
Is “pawn” a common word?
“Pawn” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “pawn” have?
“Pawn” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to leave an item with a pawnbroker as security in exchange for money.
