Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense jigs, present participle jigging, past tense, past participle jigged
1. countable noun
A jig is a lively dance.
She danced an Irish jig.
2. verb
To jig means to dance or move energetically, especially bouncing up and down.
You didn't just jig about by yourself, I mean you danced properly. [VERB adverb/preposition]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: skip, bob, prance, jiggle More Synonyms of jig
3. countable noun
A jig is a device that holds something in position when it is being machined by a tool such as a drill.
jig in British English
(dʒɪɡ)
noun
1.
any of several old rustic kicking and leaping dances
2.
a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance, usually in six-eight time
3.
a mechanical device designed to hold and locate a component during machining and to guide the cutting tool
4. angling
any of various spinning lures that wobble when drawn through the water
5. Also called: jigger mining
a device for separating ore or coal from waste material by agitation in water
6. obsolete
a joke or prank
verbWord forms: jigs, jigging or jigged
7.
to dance (a jig)
8.
to jerk or cause to jerk up and down rapidly
9. (often foll by up)
to fit or be fitted in a jig
10. (transitive)
to drill or cut (a workpiece) in a jig
11. mining
to separate ore or coal from waste material using a jig
12. (intransitive)
to produce or manufacture a jig
13. Australian slang
to play truant from school
Word origin
C16 (originally: a dance or the music for it; applied to various modern devices becauseof the verbal sense: to jerk up and down rapidly): of unknown origin
jig in American English1
(dʒɪg)
noun
1.
a.
a fast, springy sort of dance, usually in triple time
b.
the music for such a dance
2.
any of various fishing lures that are jiggled up and down in the water
3.
any of several mechanical devices operated in a jerky manner, as a sieve for separating ores, a pounding machine, or a drill
4.
a device, often with metal surfaces, used as a guide for a tool or as a template
verb intransitive, verb transitiveWord forms: jigged or ˈjigging
5.
to dance or perform (a jig) or to dance in jig style
6.
to move jerkily and quickly up and down or to and fro
7.
to use a jig (on) in working
8.
to fish or catch (a fish) with a jig
Idioms:
in jig time
the jig is up
Word origin
prob. < MFr giguer, to gambol, dance < gigue, a fiddle < MHG giga (akin to ON gigja) < OHG *gigan (> Ger dial. geigen), to move back and forth
jig in American English2
(dʒɪg)
noun
Slang
black (sense 20)
a hostile and offensive term
jig in Mechanical Engineering
(dʒɪg)
Word forms: (regular plural) jigs
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Manufacturing and assembly)
A jig is a device for holding and supporting a workpiece in a machine tool and for guiding the cutting tool.
Jigs are similar to fixtures, but they not only locate and hold the part but also guidethe cutting tools.
A simple machining jig was used to ensure the assembly could be accurately lined up.
A jig is a device for holding and supporting a workpiece in a machine tool and for guidingthe cutting tool.
Synonyms of 'jig'
skip, bob, prance, jiggle
More Synonyms of jig
In other languages
jig
British English: jig NOUN
A jig is a lively dance.
She danced an Irish jig.
American English: jig
Brazilian Portuguese: jiga
Chinese: 吉格舞
European Spanish: giga
French: gigue
German: lebhafter Volkstanz
Italian: giga
Japanese: ジグ
Korean: 지그춤
European Portuguese: jiga
Latin American Spanish: giga
British English: jig VERB
To jig means to dance or move energetically, especially bouncing up and down.
You didn't just jig about by yourself, I mean you danced properly.
American English: jig
Brazilian Portuguese: saltitar
Chinese: 吉格舞
European Spanish: brincar
French: sautiller
German: springen
Italian: ballare dimenandosi
Japanese: 上下左右に動く
Korean: >촐랑거리다몸을 위 아래로 신이나서
European Portuguese: saltitar
Latin American Spanish: brincar
(verb)
Definition
to move with quick jerky movements
Guests bopped and jigged the night away to disco beat.
Synonyms
skip
She was skipping along the pavement.
bob
Balloons bobbed about in the sky.
prance
The cheerleaders pranced on the far side of the pitch.
jiggle
He tapped his feet, hummed tunes and jiggled about.
shake
bounce
Moira bounced into the office.
twitch
wobble
caper
The children were capering about, shouting and laughing.
wiggle
She wiggled her fingers to attract his attention.
jounce
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bob
Definition
to move or cause to move up and down repeatedly, such as while floating in water
Balloons bobbed about in the sky.
Synonyms
bounce,
duck,
leap,
hop,
weave,
skip,
jerk,
wobble,
quiver,
oscillate,
waggle
in the sense of bounce
Definition
to move or cause to move suddenly
Moira bounced into the office.
Synonyms
bound,
spring,
jump,
leap,
skip,
caper,
prance,
gambol,
jounce
in the sense of caper
Definition
to skip about light-heartedly
The children were capering about, shouting and laughing.
Synonyms
dance,
trip,
spring,
jump,
bound,
leap,
bounce,
hop,
skip,
romp,
frolic,
cavort,
frisk,
gambol
Nearby words of
jig
jib at
jibe
jiffy
jig
jiggle
jilt
jingle
Synonyms of 'jig'
jig
Explore 'jig' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of jiggle
Definition
to move with quick jerky movements
He tapped his feet, hummed tunes and jiggled about.
Synonyms
jerk,
bounce,
jog,
fidget,
shake,
twitch,
wiggle,
jig,
shimmy,
joggle
in the sense of prance
The cheerleaders pranced on the far side of the pitch.
Synonyms
dance,
bound,
leap,
trip,
spring,
jump,
skip,
romp,
caper,
cavort,
frisk,
gambol,
cut a rug (informal)
in the sense of wiggle
Definition
to move with jerky movements from side to side or up and down