Full record for blaster n.

Definition	weapon that emits a destructive blast
OED requirements	antedating 1925
Earliest cite	Nictzin Dyalhis, When the Green Star Waned
Comment	Mike Christie submitted a 1945 cite from Murray Leinster's "The Ethical Equations". Bill Seabrook located and Mike Christie confirmed a 1941 cite from Theodore Sturgeon's "Artnan Process". Imran Ghory submitted a cite from a 1995 reprint of Isaac Asimov's 1940 story "Robbie". Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1939 cite from Jack Williamson's "One Against the Legion". Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1938 cite from Henry Kuttner's "Hollywood on the Moon". Alistair Durie submitted a 1925 cite for the form "blastor" from Nictzin Dyalhis's "When the Green Star Waned". (Earliest cite in the OED: 1950)
Last modified	6 July, 2008

Citations for blaster n.

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1939 J. Williamson in Astounding Sci. Fiction June 138/1	One slender hand clung near a singular jewel, like a great white snow crystal, that hung from her throat. And the other, with a practiced and familiar grip, held a barytron blaster of the newest legion design. An unwilling little glisten had come into the violet eyes. Her blond head flung angrily. She caught her breath, and lifted the barytron blaster. Its bright tube pointed straight between his shoulders. He would never even know.
1941 ‘T. Sturgeon’ in Astounding Sci. Fiction June 68/2	He reached casually into his pocket and pulled out a blued-steel automatic blaster.
1945 ‘M. Leinster’ in Astounding Sci. Fiction June 110/1	You might bring a blaster, but what we'll mostly need is light, I think.
1948 A. E. van Vogt Monster in T. Shippey Oxf. Bk. Sci. Fiction (1992) 163	When the blasters ceased their effort, the unkillable thing remained standing.
1951 I. Asimov Foundation Trilogy—Foundation ii.ii.43	Hardin returned the compliment with a blaster specifically borrowed for the occasion.
1953 A. Norton Star Rangers Prologue10	They had beaten off the Greenies' rush after the ship's nose blaster had gone dead on them.
1984 M. Bradley World Wreckers 12	The younger man surrendered the blaster.
1985 M. Larson Pawns & Symbols i.8	Kang stood and deliberately removed his blaster, placing it in the drawer and thumbing the lock.
1985 M. W. Bonanno Dwellers in Crucible iv.76	He backed away from her‥waving his blaster at the others to break their fixation.
1993 I. Asimov Forward Foundation 191	A blaster, despite its name, does not “blast” in the proper sense of the term. It vaporizes and blows out an interior and—if anything—causes an implosion.
2000 White Dwarf May 30/1	More recent interpretations from the designers limit Death or Glory attempts to models actually struck by the tank, so placement within your unit of that blaster or meltagun is important!
2001 Sci. Fiction Chron. July 23/2	A collection for thoughtful readers who want more than blazing blasters in their SF.