pawns

11 definitions • 8 examples

any one of the eight least valuable pieces in the game of chess

a person who does not have any real power but is used by others to achieve something:

The refugees are pawns in an international political dispute.

left with a pawnbroker:

She had to put her ring in pawn to pay the bills.

to leave a possession with a pawnbroker, who gives you money for it and can sell it if the money is not paid back within a certain time:

Of all items pawned, jewellery is the most common.

to leave a possession with someone in order to borrow money from that person, with the understanding that if you do not pay it back within the agreed time, the person can keep your possession and sell it

any of the eight least valuable pieces in the game of chess

A pawn is also a person who is controlled by others and used for their own advantage:

She felt she had been used as a political pawn.

to leave a valuable possession with a pawnbroker (= someone who lends money in exchange for possessions):

Under the law, the owner of an automobile may pawn it to secure a loan up to $2,500.

a person or organization that does not have any real power, but is used by others to achieve something:

a pawn in sth The federal jury rejected the company's defense that they were an unwitting pawn in the scheme to sell confidential documents.

left with a pawnbroker (= someone who lends money in exchange for valuable possessions):

If a pawn shop loans $50 on a gold necklace, they might charge $5 to keep the necklace in pawn for each month.

no longer with a pawnbroker (= someone who lends money in exchange for valuable possessions):

She had pawned the ring, and couldn't get it out of pawn until the Saturday.