English

Verb

pawn off ‎(third-person singular simple present pawns off, present participle pawning off, simple past and past participle pawned off)

1. (transitive) To get rid of (something or someone unwanted) by transferring it to another.
   • 1987, Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo, The Baseball Hall of Shame 3, Pocket Books, ISBN 0671681478, page 42:

     LeMaster was dealt to the even-lowlier Pittsburgh Pirates for a minor league pitcher. The Indians were so anxious to pawn him off on the Pirates that the club even paid Johnnie a $100,000 "assignment fee" to go to Pittsburgh.

Usage notes

• The recipient of the transfer is marked with on, as in the quotation. See further notes at palm off.

Related terms

• pawn off as