1. (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
   "He sacrificed a pawn to set up a powerful attack on the opponent's king"
    
2. An article deposited as security
   "She left her watch as a pawn at the pawnshop"
    
3. A person used by another to gain an end
   "He realized too late that he had been nothing more than a pawn in their political game";
   - instrument, cat's-paw
    
4. Borrowing and leaving an article as security for repayment of the loan
   "He had to pawn his watch to pay for groceries"

1. Leave as a guarantee in return for money
   "pawn your grandfather's gold watch";
   - hock [N. Amer]

Sounds like: populace, populous

Derived forms: pawns, pawning, pawned

Type of: aid, assistant, borrowing, charge, chess piece, chessman, consign, help, helper, pledge, supporter

Encyclopedia: Pawn, Oregon