好词典

pawns

UK //pɔːnz//US //pɔːnz//

词源

源自中古法语 'pan'(抵押品),最终来自拉丁语 'pannus'(布料),因布料曾是常见的抵押品。

noun

❶ 国际象棋中的兵,是最基础的棋子,通常只能向前移动一格,但在首次移动时可选择前进两格。

“In chess, pawns are the weakest pieces but can become powerful if they reach the other side.”

(在国际象棋中,兵是最弱的棋子,但如果它们到达对方底线,可以变得非常强大。)

“He sacrificed two pawns to gain a strategic advantage.”

(他牺牲了两个兵以获得战略优势。)

❶ 比喻被利用的人或工具,通常指在权力斗争中被人操控的小角色。

“The soldiers felt like pawns in the general's political game.”

(士兵们觉得自己是将军政治游戏中的棋子。)

“Corporations often use small businesses as pawns in their market strategies.”

(大公司常常把小企业当作市场策略中的棋子。)

同义词:chess piece, tool, instrument, puppet, dupe

verb

❶ 典当或抵押物品以换取金钱,通常是在急需用钱时采取的临时措施。

“He had to pawn his watch to pay for the emergency medical bill.”

(他不得不典当手表来支付紧急医疗费用。)

“She pawned her grandmother's ring, hoping to buy it back later.”

(她典当了祖母的戒指,希望以后能赎回来。)

同义词:pledge, hock, mortgage, collateralize

常见短语

pawn off — 将某物冒充为更有价值的东西出售或转手,通常带有欺骗性质。

“He tried to pawn off the fake painting as an original Picasso.”

(他试图将这幅假画冒充为毕加索的真迹出售。)

pawn shop — 典当行,专门从事典当业务的商店,人们可以在这里抵押物品换取现金。

“The pawn shop was filled with jewelry, electronics, and musical instruments.”

(这家典当行里摆满了珠宝、电子设备和乐器。)