pawn

Everyday

1. A pawn is the smallest and least powerful piece in chess; each player has eight. tree →
2. A pawn is a person who is used by someone more powerful to get what they want. tree →
3. To pawn something is to leave it at a shop (a pawnbroker's) in exchange for a loan of money; you get it back if you pay the money back. tree →

In the lessons

In chess, pawns move forward one square (two on their first move) and capture diagonally; a pawn that reaches the far side becomes a queen or another piece. In stories, a character used by a villain is "just a pawn". In money lessons, pawnshops lend money for objects.

Examples

• Each player starts with eight pawns. tree →
• My pawn reached the end and became a queen. tree →
• The pawn captured the knight. tree →
• He was only a pawn in the villain's plan. tree →
• She pawned her ring to pay the bills. tree →
• The pawnshop gave him money for his guitar. tree →
• The sheep in a fable must march on, as the pawn in chess must march on. tree →

Note

Countable. Do not confuse with "prawn" (a sea animal) or "paw".