Pawn

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Pawn, n. 

 See Pan, the masticatory.  [1913 Webster]

Pawn, n. [OE. paune, poun, OF. peon, poon, F. pion, LL. pedo a foot soldier, fr. L. pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and cf. Pioneer, Peon.].

 A man or piece of the lowest rank.  [1913 Webster]

Pawn, n. [OF. pan pledge, assurance, skirt, piece, F. pan skirt, lappet, piece, from L. pannus. See Pane.].

•  Anything delivered or deposited as security, as for the payment of money borrowed, or of a debt; a pledge. See Pledge, n., 1.  [1913 Webster]

  "As for mortgaging or pawning, . . . men will not take pawns without use [i. e., interest]."  [1913 Webster]
•  State of being pledged; a pledge for the fulfillment of a promise.  [1913 Webster]

  "Redeem from broking pawn the blemish'd crown."  [1913 Webster]

  "As the morning dew is a pawn of the evening fatness."  [1913 Webster]
•  A stake hazarded in a wager.  [1913 Webster]

  "My life I never held but as a pawn
  To wage against thy enemies."  [1913 Webster]

In pawn, At pawn, in the state of being pledged. “Sweet wife, my honor is at pawn.” Shak. -- Pawn shop, a shop where a pawnbroker does business. -- Pawn ticket, a receipt given by the pawnbroker for an article pledged.

Pawn, v. t. 

•  To give or deposit in pledge, or as security for the payment of money borrowed; to put in pawn; to pledge; as, to pawn one's watch.  [1913 Webster]

  "And pawned the last remaining piece of plate."  [1913 Webster]
•  To pledge for the fulfillment of a promise; to stake; to risk; to wager; to hazard.  [1913 Webster]

  "Pawning his honor to obtain his lust."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Pawn, n.
1 Chess a piece of the smallest size and value.
2 a person used by others for their own purposes.

Pawn, v. & n.
--v.tr.
1 deposit an object, esp. with a pawnbroker, as security for money lent.
2 pledge or wager (one's life, honour, word, etc.).
--n.
1 an object left as security for money etc. lent.
2 anything or any person left with another as security etc.

Idiom

in (or at) pawn (of an object etc.) held as security.

Etymology

ME f. OF pan, pand, pant, pledge, security f. WG

THESAURUS

Pawn

Charlie McCarthy, agent, ancilla, appliance, assurance, bail, bishop, bond, borrow, bottomry, castle, chance, chessman, cog, collateral, commonality, commonalty, contrivance, creature, deposit, device, dip, dummy, dupe, earnest, earnest money, escrow, float a loan, flunky, follower, gage, gamble, get a loan, get on credit, go bail, go-between, guarantee, guaranty, handmaid, handmaiden, handsel, hazard, hit one for, hit up, hock, hoi polloi, hostage, hypothecate, impignorate, implement, inferior, instrument, interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermedium, jeopardize, junior, king, knight, lever, lightweight, lower class, lower orders, mainprise, man, masses, mechanism, mediator, medium, midwife, minion, mortgage, negotiate a loan, organ, piece, pignus, plaything, pledge, plight, pop, post, puppet, put in hock, put in pawn, put up, queen, raise money, recognizance, replevin, replevy, risk, rook, run into debt, second fiddle, secondary, security, servant, slave, spout, stake, stooge, subaltern, subordinate, surety, third stringer, token, token payment, tool, touch, toy, underling, understrapper, undertaking, vadimonium, vadium, vehicle, venture, warrant, yes-man

ROGET THESAURUS

Pawn

Security

N security, guaranty, guarantee, gage, warranty, bond, tie, pledge, plight, mortgage, collateral, debenture, hypothecation, bill of sale, lien, pawn, pignoration, real security, vadium, stake, deposit, earnest, handsel, caution, promissory note, bill, bill of exchange, I, O, U, personal security, covenant, specialty, parole, acceptance, indorsement, signature, execution, stamp, seal, sponsor, cosponsor, sponsion, sponsorship, surety, bail, mainpernor, hostage, godchild, godfather, godmother, recognizance, deed of indemnity, covenant of indemnity, authentication, verification, warrant, certificate, voucher, docket, doquet, record, probate, attested copy, receipt, acquittance, quittance, discharge, release, muniment, title deed, instrument, deed, deed poll, assurance, indenture, charter, charter poll, paper, parchment, settlement, will, testament, last will and testament, codicil, bonis avibus, gone where the woodbine twineth.

VB give security, give bail, give substantial bail, go bail, pawn, impawn, spout, mortgage, hypothecate, impignorate, guarantee, warrant, warrantee, assure, accept, indorse, underwrite, insure, cosign, countersign, sponsor, cosponsor, execute, stamp, sign, seal, let, sett, grant a lease, take a lease, hold a lease, hold in pledge, lend on security.

Lending

VB lend, advance, accommodate with, lend on security, loan, pawn, intrust, invest, place out to interest, put out to interest, let, demise, lease, sett, underlet.