Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
PAWN
I. noun see: foot
Date: 14th century
one of the chessmen of least value having the power to move only forward ordinarily one square at a time, to capture only diagonally forward, and to be promoted to any piece except a king upon reaching the eighth rank, one that can be used to further the purposes of another,
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English paun, from Middle French dialect (Walloon, Flanders) pan
Date: 15th century
1. something delivered to or deposited with another as security for a loan, hostage , the state of being pledged, something used as a pledge ; guaranty , the act of pawning,
III. transitive verb
Date: 1570
to deposit in pledge or as security especially in exchange for money, pawner also pawnor noun