- The company kgb (all lowercase) provides directory assistance and information services, and describes itself as “the world's largest independent provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services.” The company began a texting service in which customers could submit questions via text message and receive a reply shortly after containing the answer. This service was advertised with a series of commercials in which the company portrayed themselves as the Knowledge Generation Bureau and customers would come up with silly questions to text to the company, and would often say things like, “Let's KGB it!” So, the term not only came from an initialism of the company's name (in the advertisements), but it was also converted to be used as a verb, similar to the way Google changed from a company name to a verb. The commercials were well-known enough that it became sometimes used in conversation.
KGB (2)
verb Initialism and conversion
To ask a question, or to look something up.
Etymology : Initialism formed from the first letters of the words in the company name Knowledge Generation Bureau, and converted to a verb from the noun form.
Source : “If you've never seen that video you should KGB it!” (friend, November 2011)
Last modified: 30 November 2011