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tase

[ teyz ]

verb (used with object)

, tased, tas·ing.
  1. (sometimes initial capital letter) to electrically stun (a living target) using a Taser or similar stun gun:

    She tased her stalker when he tried to force her into his car.



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Word History and Origins

Origin of tase1

1990–95; back formation from Taser ( def ), a trademarked proprietary name
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Example Sentences

Officers confront Mickles inside a subway car and attempt to tase him.

From Salon

“Did you Tase him in the face!?”

Five guards, including Cooper, pile on him as another officer not seen in the video says, “tase him.”

"The government must plan ahead more decisively next year to avoid such uncertainty," says Tase Oputu, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

From BBC

"The government must plan ahead more decisively next year to avoid such uncertainty," says Tase Oputu, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

From BBC

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More About Tase

What does tase mean?

To tase is to attack with a Taser or other stun weapon, typically with the goal of incapacitation.

Tase comes from Taser, but in common usage it is used to refer to the action of using any such device (commonly called a stun gun). It is also spelled as taze.

Example: Police officers are often trained to tase suspects who pose a physical threat when resisting arrest.

Where does tase come from?

Tase originates from the name Taser, which is a trademark for a brand of electric weapon that stuns its human or animal target by direct contact or with wired barbs that are shot from the device. Taser was coined in the 1970s by its inventor, Jack Cover, who named it with an acronym based on the 1911 book that partly inspired the weapon: Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle. The A was added to make the acronym pronounceable. (You can read more about the book and the name here.)

The Taser was developed as a gun alternative, and it and similar weapons have become widespread in law enforcement as an alternative way to incapacitate suspects. (While the Taser and similar devices have been called a “nonlethal” or “less lethal” alternative to guns, tasing someone can still kill or injure them.) Civilians have also adopted such weapons for self-defense. This increase in use coincided with the appearance of the verb form tase (taser is also sometimes used as a verb). Although the company that owns the Taser trademark objects to any change or differing use of the name, the verb tase has been in popular use since at least the 1990s. It was further popularized after a 2007 incident at the University of Florida (and resulting viral video) in which a man shouted, “Don’t tase me, bro!” while being restrained by police (who did tase him).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of tase?

  • taze (alternate spelling)
  • tased
  • tasing

What are some words that often get used in discussing tase?

How is tase used in real life?

Tase is most often used in the context of its use by police or for self-defense.

 

Try using tase!

Use tase in a sentence describing a scenario in which a stun gun is used in self-defense.

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