# pawn

/ˈpɔn/ (US) · /pˈɔːn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pawn
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. chess piece

noun · CEFR B1

the smallest and most common piece in the game of chess.

For teachers: the most numerous and least powerful piece in chess, capable of moving forward one square at a time and capturing diagonally.

- He moved his pawn forward to open up the center of the board.
- In the endgame, a single passed pawn can often be the deciding factor between a victory and a draw.

### 2. manipulated person

noun · CEFR B2

a person who is used by someone more powerful to achieve a goal.

For teachers: a person used by others for their own purposes, typically without the individual's full awareness of the larger scheme.

- The young clerk realized he was just a pawn in the manager's plan to steal money.
- The junior diplomat felt like a pawn in a much larger geopolitical game that he could neither influence nor fully understand.

### 3. to trade for a loan

verb · CEFR B2

to leave a valuable item at a shop in exchange for a loan of money.

For teachers: to deposit an object as security for a loan, with the understanding that the lender may sell it if the loan is not repaid.

- He had to pawn his watch to pay for his train ticket home.
- Desperate for capital to keep the business afloat, the owner was forced to pawn several family heirlooms at a fraction of their market value.

### 4. security for a loan

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

the state of an item being held by a lender until a debt is paid.

For teachers: the state of being held as security or a pledge for a loan; often used in the phrase 'in pawn'.

- The family jewels have been in pawn for over three months.
- The contract stipulated that the title deeds would remain in pawn until the final installment of the debt was cleared in full.

## Examples

- The pawn moved forward one square.
- He felt like a pawn in the company's power struggle.
- In the grand strategy of the empire, the local governor was merely a pawn sacrificed to appease the northern tribes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.