English

Noun

phaser ‎(plural phasers)

1. (music) An electronic device that produces special effects on the sound produced by an electric guitar etc.
2. (science fiction) Fictional energy weapon, with multiple settings for degree of intensity, from the television series Star Trek (1966–69).^[1]
   • 1966 September 8, George Clayton Johnson (writer), The Man Trap (Star Trek), season 1, episode 1:

     Captain James Kirk: "Set your phaser on one quarter. I'll leave mine on stun."

   • 1995 July, THIS magazine, page 21:

     His oddly reserved nature stands out [...]. Whyte sets his phaser on stun, not kill.

   • 1999, Dafydd ab Hugh, chapter 3, in Fallen Heroes [Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; 5], New York, N.Y.: Pocket Books:

     A Bajoran rushed past with an armful of phaser rifles, another with a box of hand phasers.

   • 2004, Hertiage Signature Auction #811, page 185:

     Giolitti's Gold Key art is widely admired, [...] and this is a terrific opportunity to pick up a page—set your phasers on bid.

   • 2009, Gardiner, Meg, China Lake, ISBN 9780451224552:

     I said, "Set phasers on be-a-bastard."

See also

(science fiction energy weapon):

• beam cannon / beam weapon
• blaster / blaster cannon / blaster gun / blaster pistol / blaster rifle
• death ray / death ray projector
• disintegrator
• laser / laser cannon / laser gun / laser pistol / laser rifle / laser weapon
• particle cannon / particle gun / particle rifle / particle weapon
• ray gun

Translations

Anagrams

• pasher, phrase, seraph, shaper, sharpe, Sherpa, sherpa, sphear

References

1. ↑ Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-530567-8, page 145