port n.
-
1932
page image
Harry Bates
D. W. Hall
bibliography
The pirate port of Porno is of course dead now, replaced by the clean lawfulness of Port Midway, but a hundred years ago, in the days before the patrol-ships came, she roared her bawdy song through the farthest reaches of the solar system. For crack merchant ships and dingy space trading tramps alike, she was haven; drink and drugs, women and diversions unspeakable lured to her space ports the cream arid scum, adventures [sic] and riffraff of half a dozen worlds. Sailors and pirates paid off at her and stayed as long as their wages lasted in the Street of the Sailors; not a few remained permanently, their bodies flung to the beasts of the savage jungle that rimmed the port. There only the cunning and strong could live. Ray-guns were the surest law. Modem scientific progress stood side by side with murderous lawlessness as old as man himself.
Affair of the Brains in Astounding Stories Mar. 329/1 -
1935
page image
Clark Ashton Smith
bibliography
Haines, the third assistant pilot of an ether-liner, had been charged with insubordination by his superiors, and had been left behind in Ignarh, the commercial metropolis of Mars, and the port of all space-traffic.
Vulthoom in Weird Tales Sept. 336/1 -
1939
page image
Otto Binder
bibliography
The Starshell plunged on, negotiating the black gulf between Mars and Earth in rapid time. It had been several weeks since she had left her first port, Saturn’s outer moon.
Flight of Starshell in Thrilling Wonder Stories Feb. 57/1
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1959
page image
A. Bertram Chandler
bibliography
And if I hadn’t told Commodore Sir Archibald Sinclair to his face what an idiot he was I'd still be with the Royal Mail, still keeping my night on board in port and making sure that a proper air lock watch was being maintained, and all the rest of it.
To Run Rim in Astounding Science Fiction Jan. 11/2 -
1960
Harry Harrison
bibliography
I'm sure the Cassylians don’t want to advertise their bad sportsmanship, so there won’t be anything as crude as a roadblock. But the port will be crawling with every agent they have. They know once the money gets off-planet it is gone forever.
Deathworld in Astounding Science Fiction Jan. 26/1 -
1964
Avram Davidson
bibliography
It’s the breaks, former First Officer Cane. I never got them, not till old Jarvy dropped dead and went out the garbage chute one week from port.
Valentine's Planet in Worlds of Tomorrow Aug. 10/1 -
1981
Mike Resnick
bibliography
He remained in port for four days, until all his money for the most recent hunt had been cabled to him, then made preparations to pick up the Baffledivers in the Pinnipes system.
Soul Eater (1992) 10 -
2000
David Drake
A plume of steam expanded from a berth halfway across the port. The ground trembled for several seconds before the roar of a ship lifting off reached Daniel’s party through the air.
Lt. Leary Commanding (2001) i. 8 -
2001
David Feintuch
bibliography
Anselm clapped the shoulder of his jumpsuit. ‘You're fine, joey. Officers dress for dinner; passengers are more casual, especially in port.’
Children of Hope 53 -
2022
page image
Mary Anne Mohanraj
bibliography
Inside the parking garage, the walls were plastered with anti-alien posters, which was particularly spiteful, considering how many aliens came through the port.
Hush in Tor.com
Research requirements
antedating 1932
Earliest cite
"Anthony Gilmore", in Astounding
Research History
Jeff Prucher submitted a 1939 cite from Gordon Giles' "Flight of the Starshell".Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a reprint of Avram Davidson's "Mutiny In Space"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1964 first magazine appearance.
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a reprint of A. Bertram Chandler's "The Rim of Space"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1959 first magazine appearance.
Douglas Winston submitted a 2001 cite from David Feintuch's "Children of Hope".
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1992 reprint of Mike Resnick's 1981 "The Soul Eater".
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a reprint of Harry Harrison's "Deathworld"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1960 first magazine appearance.
Michael Dolbear submitted a cite from a 2001 reprint of David Drake's 2000 "Lt. Leary Commanding".
Mark English submitted a cite from a reprint of Clark Ashton Smith's "Vulthoom"; Jesse Sheidlower verified it in the original publication in the September 1935 Weird Tales.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1932 cite from "Anthony Gilmore," a pseudonym for Harry Bates and D. W. Hall, in Astounding.
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2022 cite from Mary Ann Mohanraj.
We suspect this may be found earlier, and would like to get an antedating.
Last modified 2022-04-11 13:58:27
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entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.