raise v.

to cause (a spaceship) to lift off a planet; (of a spaceship) to lift off a planet

  • 1929 C. W. Harris & M. J. Breuer Baby on Neptune in Amazing Stories Dec. 792/1 page image Miles J. Breuer, M.D. Clare Winger Harris bibliography

    They raised their vessel and cruised about, looking for cities, for intelligent beings, and finding nothing but slimy life, settled again.

  • 1939 R. A. Heinlein Misfit in Astounding Science-Fiction Nov. 54/2 page image Robert A. Heinlein bibliography

    Attention! Man all space details; first section. Raise ship in twelve minutes. Close bulkhead doors.

  • 1941 F. E. Hardart Beast of Space in Comet July 89/2 page image F. E. Hardart bibliography

    Nat had barely raised his ship from the Asteroid Moira when he saw the small planetoid lurch suddenly, bounding off its orbit at almost a right angle. The sudden combined driving force of all the rockets within the cave had sent it hurtling away like a rocket itself.

  • 1948 R. A. Heinlein Space Cadet 218 Robert A. Heinlein

    They stared at the original entry for ‘raise ship’—but most especially at the year entry in the date column—‘1971.’

  • 1948 R. A. Heinlein Space Cadet 37 Robert A. Heinlein

    ‘Stand by to raise!’ the pilot called out, then looked down to check his passengers.

  • 1951 R. A. Heinlein Green Hills of Earth 189 Robert A. Heinlein

    Shake a leg and get out of here. We raise ship at once.

  • 1953 R. A. Heinlein Starman Jones 64 Robert A. Heinlein

    If you mess it up, I'll leave you dirtside and raise without you. Let me see you walk again.

  • 1979 B. Daley Star Wars: Han Solo Adventure 73

    If the traitor managed to turn in an alarm, chances were that the Falcon would never raise ship again.

  • 1987 L. M. Janifer Knave and Game 51

    Figure fifteen deaths—maybe ten—and the city slickers raise ship and go looking for an easier job.


Research requirements

antedating 1929

Earliest cite

Clare Winger Harris and Miles Breuer, "Baby on Neptune," in Amazing Stories

Research History
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1980 printing of Heinlein's "Starman Jones".
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1973 reprint of Heinlein's "Space Cadet" which was verified in the 1948 first edition by Rick Hauptmann.
Andrew Dalke submitted a cite from a 1975 reprint of Robert Heinlein's "The Green Hills of Earth" which was verified in the 1951 first edition by Rick Hauptmann; we would like to verify the original appearance in the Feb 8th, 1947 Saturday Evening Post.
Rick Hauptmann submitted a cite from a 1967 reprint of Robert Heinlein's "Misfit"; Jesse Sheidlower verified it in the 1939 first appearance.
Michael Dolbear submitted a cite from a 1992 reprint of Brian Daley's 1979 "Star Wars: The Han Solo Adventures".
Michael Dolbear submitted a cite from a 2002 reprint of Laurence M. Janifer's 1987 "Knave and the Game".
Fred Galvin submitted 1941 cite from "The Beast of Space", by F.H. Hardart.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1941 cite from "The Ultimate Experiment", by Thornton DeKy.
Jesse Sheidlower submitted a 1929 cite from Clare Winger Harris and Miles Breuer, "Baby on Neptune," in Amazing Stories.

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