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The word "woo" commonly used on skeptic blog sites ( Orac, Denialism) to refer to (I think) all superstitious and anti-scientific beliefs. Anyone know its origins?
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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I thought it was an archaic term for a romantic encounter. To "woo" someone, or "pitching woo."
 
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woo

Seems you're right, neveu. It's a shortened form of woo-woo. Here's what lexicographer Grant Barrett has to say about it (link);
quote:
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.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
 
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<Asa Lovejoy>
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quote:
Originally posted by zmježd:
concerned with emotions, mysticism, or spiritualism; other than rational or scientific
In other words, main stream religions, not just the smaller cults.
 
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OED Online:
quote:
woo, v.1
[Late OE. wó{asg}ian (also áwó{asg}ian in trans. sense), of obscure origin.]

I. intr. (or absol.)

1. To solicit or sue a woman in love; to court, make love.
a1050 Liber Scintill. xiii. (1889) 68 Bearn worulde {th}issere wo{asg}ia{edh} & hi beo{edh} {asg}esealde to gyftum. Ibid., Ne hi ne wo{asg}ia{edh} ne hi ne læda{edh} wif. Ibid. 70 Naht frama{edh} flæsc habban mæden {asg}if on {asg}e{th}ance æni{asg} wo{asg}a{edh}. a1225 Ancr. R. 388 Ase a mon {th}et wowe{edh} [MS. Titus wohes]{em}ase a king {th}et luuede one lefdi of feorrene londe.

II trans.

3. To sue to or solicit (a woman) in love, esp. with a view to marriage; to pay court to, court.

[c1000 ÆLFRIC Saints' Lives vii. 14 {Th}a {edh}a heo {asg}ewende of scole, {edh}a awo{asg}ode hi sum cniht. a1020 in Thorpe Charters (1865) 312 {Th}a foreward {edh}e Godwine worhte wi{edh} Byrhtric {th}a he his dohter awo{asg}ode.]


There are more citations, but these are the earliest. I can't really understand them.

Dictionary.com:
quote:
verb (used with object)
1. to seek the favor, affection, or love of, esp. with a view to marriage.
2. to seek to win: to woo fame.
3. to invite (consequences, whether good or bad) by one's own action; court: to woo one's own destruction.
4. to seek to persuade (a person, group, etc.), as to do something; solicit; importune.
verb (used without object)
5. to make love to a woman; court: He went wooing.
6. to solicit favor or approval; entreat: Further attempts to woo proved useless.
[Origin: bef. 1050; ME wowe, OE wōgian]


Online Etymology Dictionary :
quote:
woo (v.)
O.E. wogian, of uncertain origin and with no known cognates; perhaps related to woh, wog- "bent, inclined," as with affection.


OED Online:
quote:
woo-woo
Imitative of the sound of wind.
1841 CARLYLE Misc. Ess., Baillie (1872) VI. 215 The ever~moaning..unsyllabled woo-woo of wind in empty churches!


Here are comments from Wiktionary (woo woo) and SkepticWiki (woo-woo).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tinman,
 
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