energy gun n.
a weapon firing a beam of energy n.; = ray gun n.
Weaponry
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1917 Motion Picture Magazine Apr. 99/2
In ‘The Intrigue’, a Pallas picture…, soldiers meet their death as a result of a terrific electrical discharge from a huge energy gun, a purely imaginary contrivance.
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1934
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Robert Page Preston
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When a Verean got momentarily free of his attacker, the little energy-guns did their work…. At last the slaughter was over.
Land of Twilight in Amazing Stories Dec. xiii. 123/2 -
1939
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John Russell Fearn
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We’re going to blast the remaining few feet of tunnel and get inside—It’s a cinch to catch her alone. Even if we don’t that energy gun will take care of everything.
Black Empress in Amazing Stories Jan. vi. 109/1 -
1941
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A. E. van Vogt
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Energy guns!…That’s always been their problem: how to get their weapons close enough to our shops to destroy us.
Seesaw in Astounding Science-Fiction July 67/2
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1947
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Edmond Hamilton
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The energy-guns were in effect small generators capable of ejecting concentrated streams of protons.
Star of Life in Startling Stories Jan. 26/1
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1949
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A. E. van Vogt
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He was so obviously disconcerted, so fascinated by the showcases with their energy guns. And he gave an account of a weapon shop having appeared in a street in the little city in which he lived
Weapon Shops of Isher in Thrilling Wonder Stories Feb. viii. 32/1
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1952
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Kendell Foster Crossen
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As Manning predicted, within twenty four hours one of the Caphian ships appeared and settled to the ground just out of the range of an energy gun. The Rigelian appeared and faced toward them.
Caphian Caper in Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec. 36/2
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1965
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John Brunner
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It was small wonder that Ulwyn had been agitated; across his back Vix wore an energy gun which would probably have been capable of razing the gatehouse with a single bolt.
Altar On Asconel in Worlds of If Apr. 10/1 -
1967
Poul Anderson
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Graydal and Demring must needs use their energy guns at minimum intensity for flashcasters. And even so, they often stumbled.
Starfog in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact Aug. 26/1
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1973
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Jack Vance
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He carries an energy gun, which might be instrumental in capturing the ship.
The Asutra in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction June 28/1 -
1998
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Robert Reed
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Mom and I were hiding in the basement, knowing that it was just a matter of days or hours until those awful energy guns would be pointed at us.
Savoir in Asimov’s Science Fiction Aug. 79 -
2012
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Mercedes Lackey
Dennis Lee
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All she could see through the fog and the pain were the open mouths. She couldn’t see the relatively tiny muzzle of the energy gun.
She Blinded Me With Science in C. Martin et al. World Divided x. 154
Research requirements
any evidence 1917
Research History
Fred Galvin submitted a 1952 cite from Kendell Foster Crossen's "The Caphian Caper".Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1985 reprint of John Brunner's 1976 "Interstellar Empire"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1965 first edition of "The Altar on Asconel", and Jesse Sheidlower verified it in the original magazine publication that same year in Worlds of If.
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1969 reprint of Poul Anderson's 1967 "Starfog" which Mike Christie verified in the original publication.
Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1984 reprint of Isaac Asimov's "In A Good Cause", and subsequently verified the cite in the 1951 original appearance in the Raymond Healy anthology "New Tales of Space and Time".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1949 cite from A.E. van Vogt's "The Weapon Shops of Isher". This novel incorporates the earlier short story "The Seesaw": Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1983 reprint, and Mike Christie verified that the term was used in its original publication. (Astounding Science Fiction, July 1941).
Fred Galvin submitted a 1947 cite from Edmond Hamilton's "The Star of Life".
The OED found a 1917 example from a database.
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2012 cite.
Last modified 2022-05-06 01:17:02
In the compilation of some
entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.