Talk:Pearl Harbor

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Latest comment: 15 years ago by 90.190.225.121 in topic Verb
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Any takers? Capitalisation? SemperBlotto 06:54, 8 August 2006 (UTC)Reply

Just under 20 sources on Google Books for "Pearl Harbored," most of which are capitalized. 3840 hits on a general web search. The earliest publication citation in the search is 1978, which is two years earlier than Gorilla Monsoon's stint as a wrestling commentator, however, so the etymology comes across as perhaps a bit suspect. --Dajagr 07:37, 8 August 2006 (UTC)Reply
I think it is embarrassing that we've gone this long without an entry for Pearl Harbor; the name itself is idiomatic. I've heard pearl harbor used attributively as a noun but the verb sense seems a little unlikely. --Connel MacKenzie 07:26, 10 August 2006 (UTC)Reply
Perhaps it would work better as a idiomatic verb, since I can see it being used as a synonym for "sneak attack." [[64.22.217.206 22:17, 10 August 2006 (UTC)]]Reply
If it were to be used as a verb, it would still be capitalized, and it should also be hyphenated and enclosed in quotation marks: to "Pearl-Harbor" someone. I don’t think it merits inclusion as a verb. In the rare cases where it is used, anyone can easily get the meaning just by looking up the definition of the noun Pearl Harbor. —Stephen 23:08, 10 August 2006 (UTC)Reply

rfvfailed. Noun sense kept. To rfc perhaps move to Pearl Harbor? - Andrew massyn 21:21, 2 September 2006 (UTC)Reply

Def ====Etymology=== The term pearl harbor takes its name from the December 7, 1941, surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, a famous naval port off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Professional wrestling announcer Gorilla Monsoon (real name: Robert Marella) is often credited for coining the phrase when describing a wrestler's sneak attack of his opponent.

Verb[edit]

to pearl harbor (transitive or intransitive)

  1. To attack someone by surprise, often when the victim's back is turned or is not looking.
    • The bully often delighted in pearl harboring his younger, smaller victims.
Why can't the verb be in the article? I just heard it, too, in "3rd Rock From The Sun", season 4, episode 4.90.190.225.121 18:21, 11 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

Noun[edit]

  1. A sneak attack, often using underhanded measures.