PAWN  . (I) A

pledge, an object left in the charge of another, as security for the repayment of money lent, for a debt or for the performance of some obligation (see PAWNBROKING) . The word is an adaptation of O . Fr. pan, pledge, plunder, spoil . This has usually been identified with pan, from Lat. pannus, piece of cloth . The Teutonic words for pledge—such as Du. pand, Ger . Pfand have been also traced to the same source; on the other hand these Teutonic forms have been connected with the word which appears in O . Eng. as pending, a penny, Ger . Pfennig, but this too has been referred to pannus . (2) The smallest piece on the chessboard . This, in its early forms, poun, pown, &c., is taken from Fr. peon or paon, variants of peon, Med . Lat. pedo, pedonis, a foot soldier, from pes, foot .