fresher n.

a bathroom or shower

[< refresher]

  • 1940 R. A. Heinlein Coventry in Astounding Science-Fiction July 78/1 page image Robert A. Heinlein bibliography

    ‘O.K.—shortly. Where’s the 'fresher?’ ‘Over there.’ It was not Dave’s idea of a refreshing chamber, but he managed to take a sketchy shower in spite of the slimy floor.

  • 1941 R. A. Heinlein in Astounding Science-Fiction July 19/1 Robert A. Heinlein

    Mary Risling was up at her usual hour the next day. Long still slept. She ducked into her 'fresher, showered and massaged, and swallowed a grain of benzedrine surrogate to compensate for the short night.

  • 1950 R. A. Heinlein Farmer in Sky (1975) ii. 28 Robert A. Heinlein bibliography

    I…went in and set my 'fresher for a needle shower and a hard massage.

  • 1968 J. M. Faucette Crown of Infinity 38

    ‘You're tired, of course, but you'll feel better after an hour in the 'fresher.’ ‘Of course.’ She smiled her thanks and accepted his escorting arm to the living quarters. She stepped behind a door and a moment later he heard the soft rush of water in the shower stall.

  • 1984 D. Duane My Enemy, my Ally i. 4 Diane Duane bibliography

    She stopped in front of another of her cabin’s luxuries, one better than private 'fresher or sleeping silks or key lighting.

  • 1988 A. Cole & C. Bunch Fleet of Damned 27 Allan Cole Chris Bunch

    Sten’s quarters were also quite interesting. They consisted of two rooms—a combined bedroom/study decorated in soothing colors, and a 'fresher that included not only the usual facilities, but an elaborate Jacuzzi.

  • 1989 L. E. Modesitt Jr. Ecolitan Operation 292 L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

    Trying to lift a shuttle on a high gee curve with a full bladder was likely to be uncomfortable, if not fatal. He sighed as he located the fresher and sprinted for it.

  • 1992 J. Pournelle & S. M. Stirling In Hall of the Mountain King in L. Niven et al. Man-Kzin Wars V i. 11 S. M. Stirling Jerry Pournelle

    Sweat stained the fat man’s white linen suit, and a haze of smoke hung below the ceiling as the fresher system fought overstrain.

  • 1997 W. Shatner Delta Search (1997) 39 William Shatner

    He stood, folded the paper and stuck it in his shirt pocket, then headed for the bathroom to wash his hands… He hummed softly while the fresher sprayed water and odorless disinfectant on his palms.

  • 2002 J. E. Czerneda To Trade Stars 16 Julie E. Czerneda

    They'd been wrong, I thought contentedly, following Morgan into the fresher. About so many things.

  • 2002 J. E. Czerneda To Trade Stars 358 Julie E. Czerneda

    She kept scrubbing. Barac had told her to clean up, and he was waiting for his turn in the fresher.


Research requirements

antedating 1940

Earliest cite

Robert A. Heinlein, Coventry

Research History
Dan Tilque submitted a 1968 cite from John Faucette's "Crown of Infinity", and a cite from a reprint of Robert Heinlein's "Methuselah's Children" that was verified by Mike Christie in the 1941 first appearance.
Cory Panshin submitted a cite from Heinlein's "Coventry" that was verified by Mike Christie in the original 1940 magazine appearance.
Douglas Winston submitted a 1997 cite from William Shatner's "Delta Search Quest For Tomorrow".
Douglas Winston submitted a 1988 cite from Allan Cole and Chris Bunch's "Fleet of the Damned".
Douglas Winston submitted a 1989 cite from L.E. Modesitt's "The Ecolitan Operation".
Douglas Winston submitted a 2002 cite from Julie Czerneda's "To Trade the Stars".

Last modified 2020-12-16 04:08:47
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.