set phasers to

interjection

Prepare to; commence (used with a following verb or noun)

Meanings

interjection
  1. humorousPrepare to; commence (used with a following verb or noun)

Origin

In reference to the 1960s US television series Star Trek, in which the crew could set their phaser weapons either to stun or to kill.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

set phasers to. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20phasers%20to

MLA

“set phasers to.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20phasers%20to. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “set phasers to,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20phasers%20to.

Source: set phasers to on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.