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Definition of Taser in English:

Taser

noun

Trademark

  • A weapon firing barbs attached by wires to batteries, causing temporary paralysis.

    ‘The weapon was a taser, a stun gun that temporarily numbs your body with 50,000 volts of energy.’
    • ‘There was pepper spray, tasers, stun guns, and you know, stuff like that.’
    • ‘If you want to arm pilots, it would be much smarter to give them billy clubs or tasers.’
    • ‘Women in Baton Rouge are taking self-defense courses, arming themselves with tasers, pepper spray and mace.’
    • ‘I strongly urge you to learn martial arts, and to find out the law about carrying mace/pepper spray, and/or an electric taser.’

Pronunciation

Taser

/ˈtāzər/ /ˈteɪzər/

transitive verb

(also taser)
[with object]

  • Fire a taser at (someone) in order to incapacitate them temporarily.

    ‘And hey, if they get out of line, they can always taser them into submission.’
    • ‘Get out of the car, if you walk, otherwise I'm going to taser you.’
    • ‘The police must have felt overwhelmed and would naturally need to taser the groom or risk having to use deadly force instead.’
    • ‘So she reached to taser him, but accidentally grabbed her gun instead and sort of shot the guy.’
    • ‘According to witnesses, Grant had his hands in the air and was saying to police, "Please don't taser me."’
    • ‘The deputies say they decided to taser the man after he pulled a knife on him.’
    • ‘At least they didn't taser anyone.’
    • ‘I got pepper sprayed and tasered.’
    • ‘During protests over the past two days, at least a few students were tasered.’

Pronunciation

Taser

/ˈtāzər/ /ˈteɪzər/

Origin

1970s from the initial letters of Tom Swift's electric rifle (a fictitious weapon), on the pattern of laser.