Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a tradesman who entices the young and naïve to spend money on credit, then promptly duns them for his bill.

1608		Dekker Lanthorne and Candle-Light Ch. 4: The commodities that are taken vp are cald Purse-nets. The Cittizen that selles them is the Ferret.
1659		Greene & Lodge Lady Alimony I iii: I [...] got a snap by a Neapolitan Ferret at the very same time.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Ferret, a Tradesman that sells Goods to young Unthrifts, upon Trust at excessive Rates, and then continually duns them for the debt.
1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: ferret a Pawnbroker, or Tradesman that sells Goods to young Unthrifts, upon Trust at excessive Rates, and then hunts them without Mercy, and often throws them into Gaol, where they perish, for his Debt.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. 1725].
c.1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 76: Pawnbrokers and Tallymen are ferrets.

2. a low class pimp.

1611

Second Maiden’s Tragedy II i: You should have seen a fellow, A common bawdy house ferret, one Bellarius, Steal through this room; his whorish barren face Three quarters muffled.

3. (also feret, ferrit) a pawnbroker.

1725		see sense 1.
c.1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1821		‘An Amateur’ Real Life in London I 566: † Uncle, sometimes called the Ferrit, or the Frint—Cant terms for Pawnbroker.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. n.p.: Feret, a pawnbroker.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.

4. (UK und.) a housebreaker.

1824

letter 28 Dec. in Pierce Egan’s Life in London (10 Apr. 1825) 83/2: [L]ittle Davy, with myself, being two good ferrits, proceeded through this room, and through the grand hall dor [sic].

5. a young thief who gets into a coal barge and throws coal over the side to his confederates.

1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.