Full record for shield n.

Definition a force field defence
OED requirements antedating 1930
Earliest cite in Doc Smith's "Skylark Three"
Comment Mike Christie submitted a 1941 cite from Robert Heinlein. Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1965 reprint of E.E. Smith's "Triplanetary". Alistar Durie verified use of the word in the original 1934 magazine publication. Cory Panshin submitted a cite from a 1975 reprint of Frank Kelly's "Into the Meteorite Orbit"; Alistair Durie verified the cite in the 1933 first appearance in Amazing Stories. Malcolm Farmer suggested Poul Anderson's "Shield", and Mike Christie located a cite in the 1962 original magazine appearance. Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from Frank Herbert's "Dune", and Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1963 original magazine appearance. Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a reprint of George R.R. Martin's "Manna From Heaven"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1985 first magazine appearance. Alan Cox submitted a cite from a 1974 edition of E.E. 'Doc' Smith's "Skylark Three": Alistair Durie verified the cite in the 1930 serialization in Amazing Stories.

(There are no cites in the OED in the sf sense.)

Last modified 6 July, 2008

Citations for shield n.

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1930 E. E. Smith Skylark Three in Amazing Stories Aug. 408/1 The inhabitants of planet three of sun six four seven three Pilarone show unusual development and may cause trouble, as they have already brought knowledge of the metal of power and of the impenetrable shield to the Central System, which is to be our base. Recommend volatilization of this planet by vessel sent on special mission.
1934 Amazing Stories Jan. 13/2 Might have been a timed bomb—don't see how anybody could have stowed away down there through the inspections, and nobody but Franklin can neutralise the shield of the air room—but I'm going to look around, anyway.
1934 Amazing Stories Jan. 27/1 Neither ravening ray nor explosive shell could harm him—he had snapped on the protective shield whose generator was always upon his person.
1962 P. Anderson in Fantastic Stories of Imagination June 62/2 Momentum carried him a fractional inch into it. Then his kinetic energy had been absorbed, taken up by the field itself and shunted to the power pack. As for the noise, none could penetrate the shield.
1962 P. Anderson in Fantastic Stories of Imagination June 63/2 The shield unit dragged at his shoulders; ten pounds added up like fury when you were exhausted.
1963 F. Herbert in Analog Sci. Fact–Sci. Fiction Dec. 33/2 He pulled a shield belt from the table, buckled it fast around his waist.
1964 G. Roddenberry Private notes in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ (1968) i. vi. 86 Some kind of ‘meteoroid shield’ or ‘meteoroid force field deflector’ will be necessary in true spaceships.
1968 S. E. Whitfield in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ ii. ii. 195 When the deflector shield (or ‘screen’, as it is sometimes called) is operating, the ship's transporters cannot be used.
1986 D. Carey Dreadnought i.9 Captain, they're firing! Raise shields!
1989 Omni Sept. 6/2 Life is menaced by ultraviolet radiation streaming through a leaky ozone shield.
1995 Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch Star Trek Voyager: Escape i. 5 ‘With the shields at twenty percent, even a small impact could prove disastrous.’ Tuvok spoke the obvious with the sincerity of a man giving a speech before the Federation.
1995 Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch Star Trek Voyager: Escape i. 7 Every ounce of power B'Elanna could find in the poor, beat-up shuttle she directed at the forward shields, but she knew it would never be enough.