All 4 Uses

mortgage
in
Under the Lion's Paw
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Every cent he could save or spare from his trade he put into land at forced sale, or mortgages on land, which were "just as good as the wheat," he was accustomed to say.†

mortgages = real estate loans; or pledges something for a loan
His mortgages were scattered all over Cedar County, and as they slowly but surely fell in he sought usually to retain the former owner as tenant.†
Poor Higley, after working himself nearly to death on it in the attempt to lift the mortgage, had gone off to Dakota, leaving the farm and his curse to Butler.†
*

mortgage = a real estate loan; or pledging something for a loan
"But I don't take it," said Butler, coolly "All you've got to do is to go on jest as you've been a-coin', or give me a thousand dollars down, and a mortgage at ten per cent on the rest."†

Definitions:

(1) (mortgage)
a real estate loan; or to offer real estate as collateral for a loan

(collateral is something that has to be given to the lender if the loan isn't paid as agreed)
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)