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Glite Dictionary
to set phaser

to set phaser

1 9.9
To adjust a phaser to a chosen power or mode before use
  • phrasal verb
  • Jargon
translation icon : ajustar el phaser
  • Set phasers to rotating modulation.

Examples

  • Set phasers to rotating modulation!

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The captain commanded the crew to set phasers to stun before entering the enemy territory.

  • Before the mission, the officer was told to set phasers on maximum power.

  • The technician quickly set phasers to the appropriate setting for the training exercise.

Synonyms

to preset
vsto set phaser
3 3.9

To set something before you need to use it

adjust a science fiction weapon to a specific setting before use

How Powerful

to set phaser
  • Jargon
1 9.9
on stun
  • Specialized
3 9.1

Surface Forms

set phaser infinitive
set phaser past
set phaser past participle
setting phaser present participle
sets phaser third person singular

Morphology

set + phaser

The meaning 'to adjust a phaser to a specific setting' is directly and compositionally derived from 'set' (to prepare/adjust) plus 'phaser' (a sci‑fi weapon), following a standard verb + object pattern. Although genre-specific jargon, the action is literal and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Set phaser comes from science fiction shows where crew members choose a power level on a hand-held energy weapon before action. To set is to choose a level and a phaser is that energy weapon, so the phrase means 'to adjust the weapon and make it ready to use'.