woo-woo

adj. concerned with emotions, mysticism, or spiritualism; other than rational or scientific; mysterious; new agey. Also n., a person who has mystical or new age beliefs. Subjects: English

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Citations: 1986 Carol M. Ostrom Seattle Times (Wash.) (June 20) “In The Spirit—New Age Adherents Follow A Personal Path” p. E1: Of course, not everyone who thinks that science doesn’t tell all would think it’s reasonable to believe, as Gibson does, that one can program crystals with thought energy. But Gibson says there is ample evidence—both scientific and subjective—that crystals can help in healing and transformation. “You can say it’s woo-woo,” she says with a laugh. “But it works. I go with what works.” 1990 [Annie Szvetecz] Usenet: ran.ragforum (May 28) “thoughts on the bombing”: My thoughts on the this past weekend…(emotional but not too woo woo). There is no logic to the outrage, the helplessness, the constant frustration, and the relentless struggle that we as activists feel on an ongoing basis and for this particular event in our lives. 1992 Howie Movshovitz Denver Post (Colo.) (May 29) “Muddled ‘Poison Ivy’ implies more than it delivers” p. 6F: The movie jumbles Cooper’s occasional poor insights with something like a bad book on adolescent psychology, a worse self-help book and a thoroughly unoriginal horror story. You can see the movie reaching for importance and a kind of woo-woo seriousness. 1995 Sean Mitchell Los Angeles Times (Dec. 31) “Following Her Instincts” p. 10: I didn’t give a good audition either. I’ve always felt that {the late} Jean Rosenthal, who was the real Ginger, helped me get the part. That sounds kind of woo-woo, but we’re in L.A., so what the hell. 1996 [Laura Marple] Usenet: bit.listserv.dorothyl (Mar. 22) “Theater/Blanche/Starving/Mr. Moto”: Some of the spirituality stuff was a bit “woo woo la la” for my tastes, but not so much so that it was a problem. 1999 Lee Caroll, Jan Tober Indigo Children (May 1) p. 131: She considers my metaphysical matters rather woo-woo. 2001 Julia McCord Omaha World-Herald (Neb.) (July 22) “Charity Event Rubs Donors the Right Way” p. 5B: When a friend suggested 10 years ago that Deb Oetken get a massage, she scoffed. “Yeah, right!” she thought to herself. “What kind of woo-woo stuff is that?” 2002 Eric Mortenson Portland Oregonian (Mar. 22) “Gresham’s 2002-03 Budget Draft Balances With Whacks And Freezes” p. C2: Not to get too woo-woo about symbolism, but the boiler broke down at Gresham City Hall on Thursday, providing an appropriately chilly atmosphere as interim City Manager Rob Fussell prepared his budget message. 2003 Jennifer Jordan Usenet: rec.arts.mystery (Apr. 9) “Re: Connolly, _White Road_”: To be a proper woo-woo, you must follow these rules: …Never look for the simplest, most obvious cause of something.…Always favor the conspiracy angle over the boring angle.…Don’t accept mainstream science.…Memorize all the sci-babble terms used in the Star Trek series.…Always claim that the other guy is “closed-minded.” 2004 David Ramsdale Red Hot Tantra (Mar. 1) p. 118: Leave it to his kooky sister to think that sitting around with a bunch of woo-woos was going to get him a date. 2005 [Mimi Smartypants] Mimi Smartypants (Chicago, Illinois) (Apr. 6): I am curious how they handle this particular song, since surely our slightly woo-woo preschool, which decorated paper Easter eggs for “spring” while seemingly making an effort not to actually mention Easter, does not sing the “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers” line that I learned back in the jump rope days.

Posted 12 Apr 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

2005 Peggy Noonan in her book, John Paul the Great p.57 “These stories are captivating in a woo-woo kind of way.”

I looked the word up on your site as I was not familiar with it. Thanks.

by Michelle Jerome 14 Nov 08, 0446 GMT