Is Google A Proper Verb?

[NYAD]

I know it's a proper noun (the name of something). A Google search (adjective?) for the answer was unsuccessful. No one will commit that proper verbs exist.

[JimF]

It's a proper transitive verb - language evolves.

Google it - see what I did there?

[barry1010]

According to Collins English Dictionary Google is a noun but google with a small g is a verb.
Similarly, you use a Hoover to hoover your carpet

[THECORBYLOON]

The verb, "google" has been used to refer to a type of cricket delivery since 1907 and "Google" or "googling", relating to internet searches has been used since 1998, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Trademark owners aren't keen on folk using their product names as nouns or verbs as it means they have less control over their use.

When they lose control of a trademark because its use has become a generic term for similar products (such as "aspirin") it's known as "genericide"

[Hopkirk]

Surely if people use it, it's a word.

[Canary42]

Hmmmmm, when does a word become a word ?

[1ozzy]

I reckon Google is a proper prat that sucks every bit of info from everyone possible then uses that info for their benefit.

But I still google search, as most of us do.

[Khandro]

Google is a noun, to google is a verb but isn't capitalized

[DTCwordfan]

and according to Google, to google was added to the Oxford English Dictionary on June 15, 2006. Of course brands hate their names become part of the lexicon as it devalues the brand - wit hoover, fridge, and nearly Coke - it's why Coca Cola employs legions of brand inspectors to go around bars etc and then go ballistic if they get a Pepsi when they have asked for a Coke.

[THECORBYLOON]

KHANDRO, "to google is a verb but isn't capitalized"

The entry in the OED has a capital but it says it can also be lower-case.

[barry1010]

The I Am... series is a snapshot of people's lives, the episodes aren't like murder mysteries with a beginning, middle and end

[barry1010]

ooops, wrong thread

[jno]

I remember I used to xerox things even on machines that didn't come from Xerox. Not all jacuzzis are made by Jacuzzi. Escalators used to be made only by Otis.

[Bazile]

//The verb, "google" has been used to refer to a type of cricket delivery since 1907//

I thought it is 'googly'

[THECORBYLOON]

From the OED,

"intransitive. Of the ball: to have a ‘googly’ break and swerve. Of the bowler; to bowl a googly or googlies; also (transitive), to give a googly break to (a ball).

1907   Badminton Mag. Sept. 289   The googlies that do not google.

1909   Westm. Gaz. 5 July 7/4   Mr. Lockhart, having ‘googled’ to no purpose from the ‘nursery’ end.

1928   Daily Tel. 12 June 19/2   Constantine..was out to a semi-yorker, which also ‘googled’.

1930   Daily Tel. 25 Apr. 8/5   Grimmett..can spin the ball and google it."

[perseverer]

Depending on your search engine, you may well google on bing (Other search engines are available!)

[THECORBYLOON]

I doubt duckduckgo will become a verb.

"I duckduckgoed it.. " or should that be, "I duckduckwent it...".

[Atheist]

I always duckduckgo stuff, as I believe it is less intrusive and inquisitive and doesn't hang on to tasty snippets for future use when it wants to drop you in it.

[NYAD]

Thanks everyone (even Barry). Your answers are as diverse as what I found on the Google search. Some were interesting and some were amusing. Thanks again!

[Peter Pedant]

yeah I agree - never heard of proper verbs
transitive and intransitive
( and all the part of speech that Greek and Latin has)

to google
yup sounds OK

[Zacs-Master]

Same as Hoover (a brand name) becoming the verb to use a vacuum machine.