Meaning
What does Woosah mean?
Woosah is a catchphrase from the 2002 movie, Bad Boys II.
In the movie, it is used by the character, played by Martin Lawrence to get into a state of calm and relaxation.
Since the debut of the motion picture, “woosah” had been integrated by many into their slang dictionary, as a way to refer to taking a deep breath and refusing to act on the impulse of anger.
Origin
What's the origin of Woosah?
The phrase was first heard in the early moments of the 2002 film, Bad Boys II.
The character, Marcus Burnett – played by Martin Lawrence – is attending anger management classes, where he learns to apply the mantra “woosah” to calm his nerves, when he wants to act on an impulse.
Later on, the term is used in the film as a catchphrase by the character, in moments of stress.
This joke in the motion picture is most likely a reference to the New Age practices and mantras, that started to spread in the early 2000’s.
Spread & Usage
How did Woosah spread?
The big success of the movie led to the phrase spreading far and wide in the following years.
An entry was uploaded to Urban Dictionary in 2003.
In 2015, the phrase served as an inspiration for the title of an R&B song, as well as a rap album in 2017.
Today not many people are actively utilizing the expression, but many fans of the 2002 comedy recognize it.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – Woosah