beam v.
to travel through space as if along a beam of light or energy; to transport (someone or something) in this manner
Chiefly associated with the US TV series Star Trek.
Star Trek
-
1951
Matter transmitter—In SF, an apparatus which dissembles an object, transmits it through space and re-assembles it at another point. The transported matter is usually broken into its component atoms, ‘beamed’ and reconstructed by a specially keyed receiver. Travel is thus instantaneous.
Dictionary Science Fiction in Travelers of Space 24
-
1964
Gene Roddenberry
bibliography
The landing party is beamed to materialize on arid, rocky Sirius IV.
Cage 29 June in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ (1968) iv. 48
-
1964
Gene Roddenberry
bibliography
Robert April selects a recon party…and they step into the transporter chamber. We get our first look at this procedure, too, as it beams them to materialize on the planet surface far below.
Cage 29 June in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ (1968) iv. 48
-
1968
Robert Hamner
Gene L. Coon
Kirk beamed down to the planet with Mr. Spock.
Taste of Armageddon in J. Blish Star Trek 213
-
1968
bibliography
When in use, the communicators serve the additional purpose of a transporter-locator device. This allows the transporter to locate, lock-on, and ‘beam aboard’ any crewman within range.
in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ ii. 174
-
1968
bibliography
McCoy has an inbred distrust of machines, as evidenced by his loathing for the transporter system used for ‘beaming’ personnel from the ship to planet surfaces.
in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ vi. 240
-
1981
Vonda N. McIntyre
Well…one could beam from one place, to the transporter room, then to another place.
Entropy Effect v. 130
-
1985
Barbara Hambly
Spock’s first transmission had come as the last of the Enterprise crew members were beaming aboard.
Ishmael i. 19
-
1985
Margaret Wander Bonanno
He signalled the flagship to beam him aboard.
Dwellers in Crucible viii.181
-
1992
Neal Stephenson
You can’t just materialize anywhere in the Metaverse, like Captain Kirk beaming down from on high.
Snow Crash v. 34
-
1995
Dean Wesley Smith
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
bibliography
Janeway had herself, Paris, and Drickel beamed directly to sickbay.
Star Trek Voyager: Escape xxiv. 238
-
1995
Dean Wesley Smith
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
bibliography
‘None,’ Chakotay said. ‘Not even trace signatures. They haven’t beamed anywhere and there are no other anomalies out there.’
Star Trek Voyager: Escape viii. 83
-
2013
page image
Alan Dean Foster
bibliography
You can beam her back aboard without any problem.
Into Darkness xi. 186
Research requirements
antedating 1951
Earliest cite
Samuel A. Peeples, David A. Kyle, and Martin Greenberg, 'A Dictionary of Science Fiction'
Research History
Fred Galvin submitted a 1951 cite from Samuel A. Peeples, David A. Kyle, and Martin Greenberg's "A Dictionary of Science Fiction".Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2013 cite from Alan Dean Foster.
Earliest cite in the OED is 1966.
Last modified 2021-03-01 23:13:09
In the compilation of some
entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.