death ray

American  

noun

1. a hypothetical ray that destroys life from a distance.

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death ray British  

noun

1. an imaginary ray capable of killing

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Etymology

Origin of death ray

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

On June 8, two months after King’s death, Ray was arrested by customs agents while attempting to board a flight to Brussels at London’s Heathrow Airport.

From Slate

More than a year after his death, Ray Liotta, was nominated for best supporting actor in a limited series or TV movie for “Black Bird” on Apple TV+.

From Washington Times

“It’s not about his death,” Ray said of her song, which was a collaboration with composer Thomas Jefferson Anderson.

From Washington Times

Even after Brown’s death, Ray continued to serve his boss’s needs.

From Los Angeles Times

Using a weapon of mass destruction was among the accusations faced by Glendon Scott Crawford, a member of the Ku Klux Klan from upstate New York who failed in his attempt to build a radiation death ray that would inflict cancer on Muslims hit from afar.

From Seattle Times