noun
pawn
PAWN/pɔːn/
A chess piece that normally advances one square and captures diagonally.
A white pawn stands on a square of the chessboard.
Etymology
The ancestor named someone going on foot, especially a foot soldier. The chess pawn carries that infantry image: a low-ranking soldier represented on the board.
In context
we'll go Pawn to D4 trying to open up the game and put pressure on your opponent right away
More examples
- She moves her pawn forward one square.
- His pawn captures a knight diagonally.
- A pawn that reaches the farthest rank can become a queen.
- He feels like a pawn in his manager's power struggle.
Forms
pawn · pawns
Similar words
- piece
- Broadly names any chess unit, not specifically a pawn.