stunner n.
SF Encyclopedia
Weaponry
-
1941 Fire-Power in Cosmic Science-Fiction July 12/2
C. M. Kornbluth
bibliography
Armament, every first-class operative own a hand-gun and shells. Most of them carry illegal personal electric stunners.
-
1961 Star Hunter 32
Andre Norton
bibliography
Chambriss carried a needler, Starns was unarmed except for a small protection stunner, his tri-dee box slung on his chest by well-worn carrying straps.
-
1964 in Analog Science Fiction/Fact Aug. 69/2
William R. Burkett, Jr.
The scope’s crosshairs shifted to the nearer robot’s right hand. In those steel fingers reposed a silvery, fragile-looking gun—a stunner. And each of the others were similarly armed. So if the Llralans had sent them after him, they had not been able—or had not chosen—to override their inbuilt inability to permanently harm human beings. If spotted and shot at, the worst that could come of it was stun-shock and capture.
-
1965 in Analog Science Fact—Science Fiction Jan. 24/2
Frank Herbert
In the flashing instant Hawat had time to see they were Sardaukar, hard faces set in battle frenzy, that they were unshielded and each carried a knife in one hand, a stunner in the other.
-
1970 Tau Zero (1973) 70
Poul Anderson
bibliography
I’ll issue them weapons, stunner type only.
-
1978 Avatar (1981) 89
Poul Anderson
bibliography
Each had a holstered sidearm: slugthrower, not stunner.
-
1981 Strata 13
page image
Terry Pratchett
bibliography
When he had wiped the blood out of his eyes she was looking down at him and holding a stunner.
-
1983 Millennium ii. 19
John Varley
Shortly after the twonky alarm, one of your girls lost her stunner on the plane.
-
1993 In Cube i. 14
My cheeks still burned from the stunner. A pissmop emerged from the shadows, snuffling toward Ifraim’s body, but his urine was mingled with his blood.
-
2007 Galaxy Blues in Asimov’s Science Fiction Oct.–Nov. 197
page image
Allen Steele
bibliography
I saw that the warrant officer had returned, his right hand resting upon a stunner holstered in his belt.
Research requirements
antedating 1941
Earliest cite
C. M. Kornbluth 'Fire-Power'
Research History
Edward Bornstein submitted a cite from a 1967 reprint of William Burkett's "Sleeping Planet".Mike Christie confirmed the cite in the original 1964 magazine appearance.
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a reprint of C. M. Kornbluth's "Fire-Power"; Mike Christie verified it in the original 1941 magazine version (written under his "S. D. Gottesman" pseudonym).
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1962 reprint of Andre Norton's 1961 "Catseye".
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1990 reprint of Dan Simmons' 1989 "Hyperion".
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1981 reprint of Poul Anderson's 1978 "The Avatar".
Mike Christie submitted a 1965 cite from Frank Herbert's "The Prophet of Dune".
Ethan Merritt submitted a cite from a 1968 reprint of Andre Norton's "Star Hunter"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1961 first edition.
Clive Shergold submitted a 1981 cite from Terry Pratchett.
Last modified 2023-08-21 12:49:42
In the compilation of some
entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.