† ˈcounter-pawn Obs.
[f. counter- 5 + pawn; but possibly directly from OF. contrepan, ‘a pledge, gage, or pawne, especially of an immoueable’ (Cotgr.), found from 13th c. in Godef. in sense ‘security, evidence, or assurance of property’; cf. also AF. countrepan quoted under counterpane1, and see pane, pawn (both from OF. pan).]
= counterpane1 1.
| 1611 Cotgr., Contregage, a counter-gage, or counter⁓pawne. 1620 Ford Linea V. (1843) 46 A tripartite counter⁓pawne, wherby wee hold the possession of life. 1634 ― P. Warbeck ii. iii, No indenture but has its counterpawn. |