atomics n. 2
atomic weapons
Weaponry
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1943
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Clifford D. Simak
bibliography
My men are rounding up the Asteroid jewels. Got bushels of them so far. Putting them under locks you'd have to use atomics to get open.
Hunch in Astounding Science-Fiction July 32/2 -
1947
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Henry Kuttner
bibliography
‘There’s a weapon right at our hands—the strongest one in the world. All we have to do is use it.’ La Boucherie stilled. ‘Atomics?’ he said, and his voice was not quite steady.
Lord of the Storm in Startling Stories Sept. 54/1 -
1948
Edward E. Smith
bibliography
Six of those targets that did such fancy dodging were atomics, aimed at the Lines.
Triplanetary 96 -
1964
Frank Herbert
bibliography
Outside of atomics, I know of no explosive powerful enough to destroy an entire worm. They're incredibly tough.
Dune World in Astounding Science Fiction Jan. 72 -
1976
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Herbie Brennan
There’s not a chance we'd even notice bomb damage down there. Not that there’s the slightest chance of damage in the first place—that chamber’s deep enough to stand up to anything except tactical atomics.
Saros in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Sept. 10/2 -
1988
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Howard V. Hendrix
bibliography
She didn’t use nukes. I use them instead of chemical explosives because atomics let me work in the Hiroshima Shadow Effect.
Last Impression of Linda Vista in Aboriginal Science Fiction May–June 60/1 -
2001
Philip Reeve
bibliography
The Ancients destroyed themselves in that terrible flurry of orbit-to-earth atomics and tailor-virus bombs called the Sixty Minute War.
Mortal Engines (2004) 6
Research requirements
antedating 1943
Earliest cite
Clifford Simak, "Hunch," in Astounding
Research History
Jesse Sheidlower checked the 1948 example from a reprint of E. E. Smith's "Triplanetary"; it is not found in the original 1934 appearance in Amazing Stories.
Last modified 2020-12-29 14:27:15
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entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.