1 a CHESS piece of the smallest size and least value. Each player has eight pawns at the start of a game:
He had to sacrifice another pawn.
2 a person or group whose actions are controlled by more powerful people:
The hostages are being used as political pawns.
IDIOMS
in pawn if sth is in pawn, it has been pawned:
All her jewellery was in pawn.
verb [VN] to leave an object with a pawnbroker in exchange for money. The object is returned to the owner if he or she pays back the money within an agreed period of time. If not, it can be sold.
