A weapon that fires a blast of destructive energy.
- 1925 N. Dyalhis When Green Star Wanes Weird Tales (Apr.) № 6/2: Instinctively I slid forward the catch on the tiny Blastor, [sic] and the foul thing vanished — save for a few fragments of its edges — smitten into nothingness by the vibration hurled forth from that powerful little disintegrator.
- 1938 H. Kuttner Hollywood on Moon Thrilling Wonder Stories (Apr.) № 26/2: Blast out the lakes and canals — whittle down the peaks and mounds with atomic blasters — file them into the shape of gigantic buildings.
- 1945 M. Leinster Ethical Equations Astounding SF (May) № 11/1: The blasters are those beams of ravening destruction which take care of recalcitrant meteorites in a spaceship's course when the deflectors can't handle them.
- 1954 F. Brown Sentence Angels & Spaceships № 170: "I sentence you to death," said the solemn Antarian judge. "Death by blaster fire at dawn tomorrow."
- 1958 A. Norton Star Gate № 189: The hold people were at bay, held so by the weapon the false lord fingered — the blaster with which he had once threatened Kincar.
- 1961: see quote in sub-ether.
- 1983 I. Asimov Robbie Complete Robot (1995) № 167: Pirates were giving chase and the ship's blasters were coming into play.
- 2001 SF Chronicle (July) № 23/2: A collection for thoughtful readers who want more than blazing blasters in their SF.
