verb General Slang

Zhoosh

/ʒʊʃ/ · verb · slang

Polari for to smarten, fluff or style up — the word that gave us modern 'zhuzh'.

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Definitions

1

In Polari, to tidy, primp or style something up, especially the hair or an outfit. The origin is uncertain, possibly imitative of a swishing sound or from Romani.

“Let me zhoosh your riah before we go.”
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2

To add a finishing flourish or improve the look of anything.

“A scarf would really zhoosh that frock up.”
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3

It survives in mainstream English as 'zhuzh' or 'zhoozh', meaning to liven up or add flair.

“Zhoosh the cushions before the guests arrive.”
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Zhoosh In A Sentence

She zhooshed her riah in the mirror and declared herself ready.
A bit of slap and a zhoosh and the cod old eek looked bona again.
He zhooshed his collar and trolled out like he owned the place.

Origin & Usage

Polari of mid-20th-century Britain; 'zhoosh' is of uncertain origin (possibly imitative or Romani-influenced) and, as Paul Baker notes, has entered mainstream English as 'zhuzh'.

Variants zhuzhzhoozhzhushjoosh
Tags #polari#lgbtq#british#heritage#vintage#style

People Also Ask

What does zhoosh mean?

It means to style, smarten or fluff something up — hair, clothes or a room.

Is zhuzh the same as zhoosh?

Yes — the modern 'zhuzh' descends directly from the Polari 'zhoosh'.

Where does zhoosh come from?

Its origin is uncertain; it may be imitative of a swishing sound or have a Romani influence.

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