jig

UK: /ˈdʒɪg/ US: /dʒɪg/ ,( jig)

Inflections of 'jig' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

jigs

v 3rd person singular

jigging

v pres p

jigged

v past

jigged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

jig¹ /dʒɪg/   n. [countable]

1. Mechanical Engineering a plate, box, or frame for holding work and guiding a machine tool to it.

jig² /dʒɪg/   n., v., jigged, jig•ging. 
n. [countable]

1. Music and Dance a rapid, lively, springy, irregular dance for one or more persons.
2. Music and Dance a piece of music for such a dance.

v. 

3. Music and Dance [no object] to dance a jig or any lively dance.
4. to (cause to) move with quick jerky or bobbing motions: [~ + object]
   jigging his son on his knee.
   [no object]
   His knees began to jig nervously.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

jig¹  ( jig), n., v., jigged, jig•ging. 
n. 

1. Mechanical Engineering [Mach.] a plate, box, or open frame for holding work and for guiding a machine tool to the work, used esp. for locating and spacing drilled holes;
   fixture.
2. Sport [Angling.] any of several devices or lures, esp. a hook or gang of hooks weighted with metal and dressed with hair, feathers, etc., for jerking up and down in or drawing through the water to attract fish.
3. Mining an apparatus for washing coal or separating ore from gangue by shaking and washing.
4. Textiles a cloth-dyeing machine in which the material, guided by rollers, is passed at full width through a dye solution in an open vat.

v.t. 

5. Textiles to treat, cut, produce, etc., with a jig.

v.i. 

6. to use a jig.
7. Sport to fish with a jig.

• 1855–60; probably akin to jig², in sense "jerk to and fro''; origin, originally and interrelationship of this group of words uncertain

jig²  ( jig), n., v., jigged, jig•ging, adj. 
n. 

1. Music and Dance a rapid, lively, springy, irregular dance for one or more persons, usually in triple meter.
2. Music and Dance a piece of music for or in the rhythm of such a dance.
3. [Obs.] prank;
   trick.
4. Idioms the jig is up, [Slang.] it is hopeless;
   no chance remains:
   When the burglar heard the police siren, he knew the jig was up.

v.t. 

5. Music and Dance to dance (a jig or any lively dance).
6. Music and Dance to sing or play in the time or rhythm of a jig:
   to jig a tune.
7. to move with a jerky or bobbing motion;
   jerk up and down or to and fro.

v.i. 

8. Music and Dance to dance or play a jig.
9. to move with a quick, jerky motion;
   hop;
   bob.

adj. 

10. in jig time, [Informal.] with dispatch;
    rapidly:
    We sorted the mail in jig time.

• an unattested WGmc verb (compare gig¹); semantic development of other senses unclear
• Middle French giguer to frolic, gambol, probably
• in earliest sense "kind of dance'' perh. 1550–60

jig′like′, jig′gish, adj. 

jig³  ( jig), n. 

1. (formerly used in communications to represent the letter J.)

jig⁴  ( jig), n. [Slang] (disparaging and offensive).

1. Slang Terms a black person.

• 1920–25, American; of uncertain origin, originally; compare jigaboo

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

jig / 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. any of various spinning lures that wobble when drawn through the water
5. Also called: jigger a device for separating ore or coal from waste material by agitation in water

verb (jigs, jigging, jigged)

1. to dance (a jig)
2. to jerk or cause to jerk up and down rapidly
3. (often followed by up) to fit or be fitted in a jig
4. (transitive) to drill or cut (a workpiece) in a jig
5. to separate ore or coal from waste material using a jig

Etymology: 16th Century (originally: a dance or the music for it; applied to various modern devices because of the verbal sense: to jerk up and down rapidly): of unknown origin