beamer n.
a device (esp. a weapon) that emits a beam of energy
Weaponry
-
1945
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Tom Pace
bibliography
Then Star saw what kind of a transmitter it was, and he groaned. It was not a Hineson Sub-space beamer…it was an old-style transmitter which had different wave speeds. [ellipsis in orig.]
Death Star in Planet Stories Spring 80/2 -
1950
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June Lurie
bibliography
Grimly he swung the barrel of the Beamer around and touched the firing trigger. The suits vanished in a flare of light.
Tritonian Terror in Fantastic Adventures Nov. 129 -
1953
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Poul Anderson
bibliography
Ushtu entered the basement of a large tenement, using his magnetic beamer to open doors and lock them after him.
Courier of Chaos in Future Science Fiction Mar. 19/2 -
1954
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Jim Harmon
bibliography
He…brought the icy barrel of the beamer against his hairy but otherwise bare chest. Moss gave a shiver and slapped the proton-beamer, suction-holster-side in, against the side of his hip.
Uncompromising People in Spaceway June 100 -
1960
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Poul Anderson
bibliography
You could have coupled a thermonuclear power plant to a gravity beamer and a secondary-drive pulse generator, built a hull around the ensemble, and—
Twelvemonth & a Day in Fantastic Universe Jan. 46/1 -
1966
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Keith Laumer
bibliography
The high walls… reared up behind a dense barrier of wickedly thorned shark trees. Retief used a small pocket beamer to slice a narrow path through into the grounds.
Truce or Consequences in Worlds of If Nov. 19/1 -
1970
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Piers Anthony
bibliography
‘I shall make an example. First I shall vaporize her squat snout.’ He flicked one of this four thumbs over a setting on the beamer and pressed the business end against her nose.
Monarch in Worlds of If Nov.–Dec. 130/1 -
1985
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Larry Niven
bibliography
Of course I had the beamer and it would kill; but it wouldn’t kill fast.
Table Manners in J. Pournelle & J. Baen Far Frontiers 294 -
1997
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Dana William Paxson
bibliography
My hand inside my coverall leg, I fire Armana’s beamer at the sculpted stone ceiling, sizzling my own knee; with a roar a section of rock breaks loose from above.
Pyro in Science Fiction Age July 65/2 -
2016
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David Wellington
bibliography
Valk pulled a nasty-looking pistol out of a pocket of his suit and pointed it at Lanoe’s chest. It was a microwave beamer, fully capable of cooking Lanoe alive inside his suit.
Forsaken Skies 115
Research requirements
antedating 1945
Research History
Suggested by Malcolm Farmer.
Last modified 2022-07-20 13:58:20
In the compilation of some
entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.