Not considered a piece in chess, the pawn, is just the pawn. From their starting position the pawn can move forward either two squares or one. Afterwards they are limited to moving only one square forward at a time unless they are killing one of your pieces then they move diagonally. The pawn moves forward but kills diagonally. They are referred to as the "soul of chess" but way too many books. The reason they get this distinction is because pawns define the layout of the chessboard. Nobody wants to exchange pieces with a pawn and pawns are setup in a way that makes them, in the opening and middle games, very easy to defend. You have to move around the pawns or setup an attack to break through them, again mostly in the opening and middle game because in the end game most of the pieces are gone. Another thing about pawns is that if you get your pawn to the last square on the back of the board you get to turn it into any piece you want. for more pawnly goodness see or node: Pawn Structure, Passed Pawns, Double Pawns, Isolated Pawns.

Pawn (?), n.

See Pan, the masticatory.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Pawn, n. [OE. paune, poun, OF. peon, poon, F. pion, LL. pedo a foot soldier, fr. L. pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and cf. Pioneer, Peon.] Chess

A man or piece of the lowest rank.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Pawn, n. [OF. pan pledge, assurance, skirt, piece, F. pan skirt, lappet, piece, from L. pannus. See Pane.]

1.

Anything delivered or deposited as security, as for the payment of money borrowed, or of a debt; a pledge. See Pledge, n., 1.

As for mortgaging or pawning, . . . men will not take pawns without use [i.e., interest]. Bacon.

2.

State of being pledged; a pledge for the fulfillment of a promise.

[R.]

Redeem from broking pawn the blemish'd crown. Shak.

As the morning dew is a pawn of the evening fatness. Donne.

3.

A stake hazarded in a wager.

[Poetic]

My life I never held but as a pawn To wage against thy enemies. Shak.

In pawn, At pawn, in the state of being pledged. "Sweet wife, my honor is at pawn." Shak. -- Pawn ticket, a receipt given by the pawnbroker for an article pledged.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Pawn, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pawned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pawning.]

1.

To give or deposit in pledge, or as security for the payment of money borrowed; to put in pawn; to pledge; as, to pawn one's watch.

And pawned the last remaining piece of plate. Dryden.

2.

To pledge for the fulfillment of a promise; to stake; to risk; to wager; to hazard.

Pawning his honor to obtain his lust. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.