pawnbroker

noun

pawn·bro·ker | \ ˈpȯn-ˌbrō-kər

, ˈpän-\

Definition of pawnbroker

: one who lends money in exchange for personal property that can be sold if the loan is not repaid by a certain time

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Examples of pawnbroker in a Sentence

He was desperate for money so he hocked his watch to a pawnbroker.

Recent Examples on the Web

Typical annualised percentage interest rates are in the region of 20-40%, cheaper than the traditional local moneylender or pawnbroker but hardly a snip. — The Economist, "Pocket bankingMobile financial services are cornering the market," 3 May 2018 And, in some circles, waistcoats were associated with the likes of pawnbrokers or card sharks. — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, "England’s Hottest Fashion Item: Gareth Southgate’s Waistcoat," 9 July 2018 The United States had more than 130,000 active federal firearms licensees in 2017, including dealers, manufacturers and pawnbrokers, according to the A.T.F.’s most recent statistics. — Ali Watkins, New York Times, "When Guns Are Sold Illegally, A.T.F. Is Lenient on Punishment," 3 June 2018 Martin's recent criminal past includes pleading guilty to burglary, dealing in stealing property, receiving money from a pawnbroker under false pretenses. — David J. Neal, miamiherald, "He wanted to get rid of apartment tenants. Then, the bombs went off, cops say," 11 June 2018 The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms listed 56,754 federally licensed firearms dealers in 2016, as well as 8,076 pawnbrokers allowed to sell guns. — Nathan Bomey, USA TODAY, "Could Dick's Sporting Goods ban on assault-style rifles change sales?," 28 Feb. 2018 Image Among the Caribbean grocery stalls selling mango and plantain, pawnbroker shops and acrylic nail salons of Peckham, beats the heart of London’s most dynamic art scene. — New York Times, "The Beating Heart of London’s Most Dynamic Art Scene," 8 Feb. 2018 The groom, also 31, is an owner of GC Pawn, a pawnbroker based in Fort Lauderdale. — Vincent M. Mallozzi, New York Times, "Sealed With a Prediction (and the Kisses to Come)," 21 Oct. 2017 Such schemes have inspired investors in England to purchase vacant properties in Cleveland over eBay, and a Colorado pawnbroker to close on homes in Buffalo via PayPal. — Rachel Monroe, New Republic, "Gone Baby Gone," 19 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pawnbroker.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Time Traveler for pawnbroker

The first known use of pawnbroker was in 1658

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More Definitions for pawnbroker

pawnbroker

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pawnbroker

: a person who lends money to people in exchange for personal property that can be sold if the money is not returned within a certain time

See the full definition for pawnbroker in the English Language Learners Dictionary

pawnbroker

noun

pawn·bro·ker | \ ˈpȯn-ˌbrō-kər

Kids Definition of pawnbroker

: a person who lends money in exchange for personal property that can be sold if the money is not repaid

pawnbroker

noun

pawn·bro·ker | \ ˈpȯn-ˌbrō-kər

Legal Definition of pawnbroker

: a person who lends money on the security of personal or movable property pledged in his or her keeping or who buys personal property and gives the seller an opportunity to buy back the property