Green’s Dictionary of Slang

pawn n.

a pawnbroker.

1861

(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor II 109/2: Perhaps they comes to sell to me what the pawns won’t take in.

In compounds

pawn shop (n.) [‘Mount Eden is largely a transit prison [...] After sentencing, most of the inmates are transferred, or “pawned off” , to appropriate prisons throughout New Zealand’ Looser (2001)]

(N.Z. prison) Mount Eden Prison.

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 136/2: pawn shop, the n. Mount Eden Prison.