zhush or joosh

zhush (ĵ as in the French je + “oosh”) is a word whose usage dates as far back as 1968 in Britain. Its spelling, much like its origin, is elusive. It has been defined by the American Dialect Society (who placed it on their 2003 Word of the Year List) as a verb to mean “primp or fluff up”. Today, it appears in the pop lingo of certain queer makeover shows to mean “making something striking or flamboyant”. Either way, OUTwrites’ début collection zhushes up the LGBTI community of Toronto through its chorus of eight distinct voices.

htttp://www.outwrites.org

1) Zhush up that closet with some pink.

by outwrites March 27, 2005

Zhush

The act of fluffing a pillow by pushing in the sides.

I must zhush my pillow before bed!

by CatwallGreyjoy April 18, 2021