Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Any of several devices that emit highly amplified and coherent radiation of one or more discrete frequencies. One of the most common lasers makes use of atoms in a metastable energy state that, as they decay to a lower energy level, stimulate others to decay, resulting in a cascade of emitted radiation.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A gum-resin obtained from the north of Africa, and greatly esteemed by the ancients as an antispasmodic, deobstruent, and diuretic. It is supposed to have been produced by Thapsia Garganica or one of the varieties of that plant. Also called asadulcis.
- n. An obsolete form of leisure.
Wiktionary
- n. A device that produces a monochromatic, coherent beam of light.
- n. A gum resin obtained from certain umbelliferous plants.
- n. Such a plant.
- v. To cut with a laser
- v. To throw with laser-like precision
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A device which produces an intense, usually narrow, monochromatic beam of coherent light; called also
optical maser . It has various forms, and is used in various applications in science and technology. The beam is produced by boosting the majority of the electrons in specific radiation-absorbing atoms in a medium into a higher energy level, from which they are stimulated by their own emitted radiation to drop back synchronously to their lower energy level, and emit light which is in phase (coherent).
WordNet 3.0
- n. an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation; an optical device that produces an intense monochromatic beam of coherent light
Etymologies
- l(ight) a(mplification by) s(timulated) e(mission of) r(adiation).
Examples
“Each ball bearing had his name laser etched on it.”
“The term laser radar is also in use but is misleading because it uses laser light and not the radiowaves that are the basis of conventional radar”
“Nov. 9, 1957: Columbia grad student Gordon Gould writes in his notebook calculations for what he calls a laser Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.”
“On this day in 1957, Gordon Gould began to write down the principles of what he called a laser in his notebook during a sleepless Saturday night.”
“It was relatively simple fx done using models and drawn in laser bolts, but it was awesome.”
“But the actual point with a low wattage laser is to prove that you can have a substantial effect on a low flying object.”
“An alexandrite laser is another red light laser, but it was a bit more efficient.”
“The next advancement in laser hair removal came in the form of an alexandrite laser.”
“A laser is a very pure and very specific form of light energy.”
“My “old” color ink-jet printer delivers a far cleaner and clearer image than does the new and improved laser-jet printer, even if the laser is faster.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘laser’.
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Brand Theft Auto
A marque list for cars--models or companies who've used common words as their name.
explorer, navigator, frontier, mustang, quest, cougar, sidekick, legend, legacy, ranger, voyager, civic and 266 more...
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Words of Tomorrow
Futuristic words for the atomic age!
laser, nuclear, clone, zephyr, byte, jetpack, android, bot, shatner, vulcan, voltron, nano
bilby I don't understand this use of laser:
"The property has been lasered with recycle dam and pump, plus central laneway, elec fencing and troughs in all the paddocks, Cattle yards with crush plus ramp, 4 Bay Machinery shed with power and cement floor, disused dairy, tackle room plus Hay Shed and other Machinery shed."
- real estate ad. May 14, 2009
trivet Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation Feb 27, 2007