verse n.

the universe; (also) one of many universes in a multiverse; cf. earlier -verse suffix

Often as ’verse.

Dimensions

  • [1991 E. Lane Quantum Leaps of Imagination in Newsday (New York) 27 Aug. 62/1

    According to theory, a baby universe—or ‘babyverse’—can be spun off from the parent ‘multiverse’ as a bulge in the fabric of spacetime.]

  • 2002 J. Whedon Serenity (Firefly episode) (transcription) Joss Whedon

    Kaylee It’s shiny! I like to meet new people. They’ve all got stories— Jayne Captain, can you stop her from being cheerful, please? Mal I don’t believe there is a power in the ’verse that can stop Kaylee from being cheerful.

  • 2004 J. Olson on LiveJournal 24 June (blog entry) page image

    OK so last night I had another one of those early night dreams [...] we were out in this field and the other guy and i had this power where we could see this alternate universe that was like a layer of our own, much darker and we could occasionally switch between both but when we were in the alternate verse, we couldnt see the real world[...]

  • 2007 J. Robson Selling Out viii. 86 page image Justina Robson bibliography

    The realm of the dead. They say it’s parted from us in temporal dimensions only, that it is panspatial and pantemporal, a dimensional ’verse transecting all points in which beings like us cannot move, though there are beings that can.

  • 2009 J. K. Chapman Singers of Rhodes in Panverse One 230 page image Jason K. Chapman bibliography

    Davey’s laugh dragged itself across a bed of gravel. ‘The word’s been heard, varritch. There ain’t no roads but roads to Rhodes. Don't leave this ’verse without you’ve seen it for yourself.’ Rhodes was an ugly thing, but it was the wonder of the universe. The first evidence of non-human intelligence was hard to resist.

  • 2015 A. Kaufman & J. Kristoff Illuminae 84 page image Jay Kristoff Amie Kaufman bibliography

    You flex your tiniest gun turret, look like you’re even reaching to scratch an itch, I’m going to raise so much noise the Lincoln and every ally she has in the ’verse will know where to find you.

  • 2017 D. Kwan & D. Scheinert Everything Everywhere All at Once (script) (12/18/2017 draft) 86

    You’re close, but no pineapple. (catching herself) I’m sorry. It’s hard to keep track of which idioms come from which verses.


Research requirements

antedating 2002

Earliest cite

Joss Whedon, <i>Firefly</i>

Research History
Suggested, and most quotes submitted, by Bee Ostrowsky.

Last modified 2023-06-20 10:25:38
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.