pawnshop

[ pawn-shop ]

noun

1. the shop of a pawnbroker, especially one where unredeemed items are displayed and sold.

pawnshop

/ ˈpɔːnˌʃɒp /

noun

1. the premises of a pawnbroker

Word History and Origins

Origin of pawnshop¹

First recorded in 1840–50; pawn ¹ + shop

Example Sentences

In another message, Rabin said, the man explained that he and his wife, who are both homeless, took the instrument to a local pawnshop in exchange for a $500 loan.

From Washington Post

It’s essentially become a pawnshop, and even that business model is decaying.

From Washington Post

For one thing, it’s easier to sell stolen items online because pawnshops are pretty heavily regulated.

From Vox

In other words, people and businesses had more money, and they didn’t need to resort to the pawnshop to pay rent, float their payrolls, or even just go to the bar on Friday night.

From Vox

Troy Farr, who owns Texas Pawn & Jewelry outside of Austin, recalled going to one of his stores on a Saturday during the spring to see how things were going and discovered 42 guns had been sold, “which is a lot for a pawnshop.”

From Vox

Stay anywhere long enough and every direction eventually leads you toward a pawnshop of your life.

From The Daily Beast

Barely Legal Pawn stars the duo as unscrupulous, possibly deranged pawnshop employees.

From The Daily Beast

We can deal with that old buzzard as freely and as profitably as if we were in a cutthroat pawnshop.

From Project Gutenberg

Iprinda ring rilu sa ahinsiya, Pawn this watch to the pawnshop.

From Project Gutenberg

He made it plain that he saw in Morley no resemblance to the man who had come disguised to the pawnshop.

From Project Gutenberg

Caroline Breeze had never been inside a pawnshop in her life, but she did not protest against the horrid errand.

From Project Gutenberg

Before the policeman could even reply, the owner of the pawnshop had come up.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bank
• banker