an article deposited as security
"He signed over his car title to act as a pawn for the emergency loan until he could repay the debt."
a person used by another to gain an end
"The CEO treated his loyal assistant as nothing more than a pawn in his scheme to take over the company."
(chess) the least powerful piece; moves only forward and captures only to the side; it can be promoted to a more powerful piece if it reaches the 8th rank
"After advancing all her pawns down the center, she finally managed to promote one of them to a queen on the very last move."
borrowing and leaving an article as security for repayment of the loan
"After I pawned my wedding ring to get cash for surgery, I promised myself I would buy it back once I paid off the debt."
The most common chess piece, or a similar piece in a similar game. In chess each side has eight; moves are only forward, and attacks are only forward diagonally or en passant.
"The antique dealer moved his chess pieces aside to reveal a hidden pawn where he kept rare porcelain dolls."
The state of being held as security for a loan, or as a pledge.
Alternative form of paan
A gallery.
To pledge; to stake or wager.
"In his gaming stream, he typed that he had just pawned the enemy base to win instantly."
Alternative form of pwn
The word "pawn" comes from the Old French word pan, meaning a pledge or security for a payment. Its ultimate origins are uncertain but likely trace back to a Germanic language such as Frankish.