Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a short person.

1883		Boston Wkly Globe (MA) 30 Jan. 6/7: Persons doomed to everlasting ridicule [...] the ‘sawed-offs,’ the ‘shorties’ and the ‘snits’ of society.
1887		Shields Dly Gaz. 24 Dec. 6/5: Old sawed off, yer pardner, says as how I was worth ten a week.
1891		Whitstable Times 11 July 6/4: I’m giving you a friendly tip. Look out for sawed-off.
1893		J. Hawthorne Confessions of Convict 26: A relative of his, known as ‘Sawed-off,’ on account of his short figure.
1902		G.H. Lorimer Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to His Son 160: I didn’t understand football, but understood that little sawed-off [DA].
1913		J. London Valley of the Moon (1914) 56: The way that little sawed-off is monopolizin’ him.
1919		DN V 65: A tall girl never looks well dancing with a sawed-off.
1965		B. Wannan Fair Go, Spinner 136: Big Man: Get away, yer little sawed off.
1977		(con. 1911) J. Monaghan Schoolboy, Cowboy, Mexican Spy 140: Others were met at the doorway by Little Sawed-Off himself.
1989		J. Hibberd Memoirs of an Old Bastard 156: Squeaky McLean entered and asked about that ‘ace little sawn-off, Herbie’.

2. (US) a sawn-off shotgun.

1927		C. Coe Me – Gangster 197: He can handle the sawed-off when we make the grab.
1931		D. Runyon ‘The Old Doll’s House’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 63: The first blast of slugs from the sawed-offs breezes past him without hitting him.
1940		R. Chandler Farewell, My Lovely (1949) 15: ‘Got me a sawed-off,’ the barman said.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 185/1: Sawed-off. A shotgun with a sawed-off barrel.
1974		G.V. Higgins Cogan’s Trade (1975) 38: I’d like a sawed-off for this one [...] Something big, scare the shit out of them.
1976		D. Ireland Glass Canoe (1982) 27: Sure enough there come the twelve back, this time with sawn offs.
1986		C. Hiaasen Tourist Season (1987) 228: They stared at Viceroy Wilson until he lowered the sawed-off.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 139: Offered me an airgun only joking then a sawnoff do a bit of damage.
1997		(con. 1970s) G. Pelecanos King Suckerman (1998) 31: Clagget pulled the sawed-off from his pant leg.
2000		G. Pelecanos Shame the Devil 4: Otis placed the sawed-off on the floor.
2002		Observer 10 Mar. 13: All the sawn offs, the cocaine, it’s all coming from Holland.
2011		J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 41: Doin building societies and petrol stations swith a sawn-off.
2011		F. Bill ‘Hill Clan Cross’ in Crimes in Southern Indiana [ebook] Held the sawed-off down at his side.
2021		Breen & Conlon Hitmen 11: [S]awn-offs leave little ballistic signature.
2023		A. Nette Orphan Road 121: [B]ank tellers [...] whom he and his partner would threaten with sawn offs.