pawn

Manipulated, expendable person

A pawn is a chess piece of the lowest rank—each player starts with eight, and they can only move forward one square at a time (two on their first move).

By extension, a pawn is a person used or manipulated by others for their own purposes: He was just a pawn in their political games.

To pawn something is to leave it with a pawnbroker as security for a loan; if you don't repay, the item is sold.

To pawn off is to pass something unwanted to someone else: She pawned off the extra work on her assistant.

pledge

collateral

Security for debt

securityProtection from threat
depositPlace for safekeeping
guaranteeFormal promise of fulfillment

mortgage · lien · asset · hock · redeem · ticket · forfeit · surety · pledge · bond

manipulation

puppet

Controlled performing figure

toolDevice for a task
dupeDeceive or victim
stoogeEasily manipulated pawn

patsy · catspaw · instrument · expendable · manipulate · exploit · sacrifice · victim · scapegoat · figurehead

chess

chesspiece

Game token for strategy

bishopDiocesan clergy head
knightHonored mounted soldier
rookChess piece or corvid

queen · king · board · checkmate · gambit · opening · endgame · promotion · sacrifice · advancement

gamepiece

token

Representative placeholder

counterFlat service surface
chipSmall broken-off piece
markerSomething that signals location

piece · board · checkers · backgammon · carrom · draughts · tabletop · meeple · figurine · play

pawn

collateral

puppet

chesspiece

token

pawn

Opposites

Phrases

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