jig

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

jig, n. [OF. gigue a stringed instrument, a kind of dance, F. gigue dance, tune, gig; of German origin; cf. MHG. gīge fiddle, G. geige. Cf. Gig a fiddle, Gig a whirligig.].

•  A light, brisk musical movement.  [1913 Webster]

  "Hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig."  [1913 Webster]
•  A light, humorous piece of writing, esp. in rhyme; a farce in verse; a ballad.  [1913 Webster]
•  A piece of sport; a trick; a prank.  [1913 Webster]

  "A jig shall be clapped at, and every rhyme
  Praised and applauded."  [1913 Webster]
•  A trolling bait, consisting of a bright spoon and a hook attached.  [1913 Webster]

  "Is't not a fine jig,
  A precious cunning, in the late Protector?"  [1913 Webster]
•  A small machine or handy tool  [1913 Webster]

Drill jig, a jig for guiding a drill. See Jig, 6 (a). -- Jig drilling, Jig filing (Metal Working), a process of drilling or filing in which the action of the tool is directed or limited by a jig. -- Jig saw, a sawing machine with a narrow, vertically reciprocating saw, used to cut curved and irregular lines, or ornamental patterns in openwork, a scroll saw; -- called also gig saw.

jig, v. t. 

•  To sing to the tune of a jig.  [1913 Webster]

  "Jig off a tune at the tongue's end."  [1913 Webster]
•  To trick or cheat; to cajole; to delude.  Ford.  [1913 Webster]
•  To sort or separate, as ore in a jigger or sieve. See Jigging, n.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cut or form, as a piece of metal, in a jigging machine.  [1913 Webster]

jig, v. i. 

•  To dance a jig; to skip about.  [1913 Webster]

  "You jig, you amble, and you lisp."  [1913 Webster]
•  To move with a skip or rhythm; to move with vibrations or jerks.

  "The fin would jig off slowly, as if it were looking for nothing at all."  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

jig, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a lively dance with leaping movements. b the music for this, usu. in triple time.
2 a device that holds a piece of work and guides the tools operating on it.
--v. (jigged, jigging)
1 intr. dance a jig.
2 tr. & intr. move quickly and jerkily up and down.
3 tr. work on or equip with a jig or jigs.

Idiom

jig about fidget.

Etymology

16th c.: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

jig

Charleston, Highland fling, Lambeth Walk, Mexican hat dance, Portland fancy, Virginia reel, Watusi, allemande, and jump, angle, bait, bait the hook, barn dance, belly dance, birdlime, bob, bobble, bola, bolero, boogaloo, bounce, bound, bourree, boutade, branle, breakdown, broad jump, buck, buckjump, bump, bunny hop, cakewalk, can-can, capriole, cha-cha, chonchina, clam, clog, cobweb, conga, cotillion, country dance, courante, curvet, dap, demivolt, device, dib, dibble, didder, dither, dragnet, drive, falter, fan dance, fandango, feint, fidget, fish, fishhook, flamenco, flick, fling, flip, flirt, flounce, fly, fly-fish, flying jump, folk dance, fox trot, galliard, gambit, gavotte, gelandesprung, german, gig, gill net, gimmick, go fishing, grand jete, grig, grimace, ground bait, guddle, handspring, have the fidgets, high jump, hippety-hop, hitch, hokey-pokey, hook, hootchy-kootchy, hop, hopak, hornpipe, hula, hula-hula, hurdle, hustle, interpretative dance, itch, jack, jacklight, jar, jerk, jete, jigger, jigget, jiggle, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, jump, jump shot, jump turn, jump-hop, jump-off, kola, lancers, lariat, lasso, lavolta, leap, leapfrog, limbo, lime, lindy, long jump, lure, mambo, mazurka, meshes, minuet, monkey, morris, net, noose, ox dance, pachanga, pas de deux, pas seul, paso doble, passamezzo, peabody, play, ploy, pluck, plug, pole vault, polka, polonaise, pounce, pound net, purse seine, quadrille, quake, quaver, quiver, rain dance, reel, rictus, rigadoon, rumba, running broad jump, running high jump, ruse, samba, saut de basque, seine, shake, shimmy, shiver, shock, shrimp, shudder, ski jump, skip, snake, snake dance, snare, snatch, sniggle, spin, spinner, spring, springe, square dance, squid, start, steeplechase, still-fish, strathspey, sudden pull, swim, sword dance, tango, tap dance, tarantella, tic, toils, torch, tour jete, trawl, tremble, tremor, trepak, troll, turkey trot, tweak, twist, twitch, twitter, upleap, upspring, valse, vault, vellicate, waltz, war dance, whale, whizzer, wile, wobble, wobbler, wrench, yank, yerk

ROGET THESAURUS

jig

Amusement

N amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games, diversion, divertissement, reaction, solace, pastime, passetemps, sport, labor of love, pleasure, relaxation, leisure, fun, frolic, merriment, jollity, joviality, jovialness, heyday, laughter, jocosity, jocoseness, drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery, mummery, pleasantry, wit, quip, quirk, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout, horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh, guffaw, burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter, cachinnation, Kentish fire, tiger, play, game, game at romps, gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine, escapade, echappee, bout, espieglerie, practical joke, dance, hop, reel, rigadoon, saraband, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance, minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha, fandango, cancan, bayadere, breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis, break dancing, nautch-girl, shindig, skirtdance, stag dance, Virginia reel, square dance, galop, galopade, jig, Irish jig, fling, strathspey, allemande, gavot, gavotte, tarantella, mazurka, morisco, morris dance, quadrille, country dance, folk dance, cotillon, Sir Roger de Coverley, ballet, ball, bal, bal masque, bal costume, masquerade, Terpsichore, festivity, merrymaking, party, blowout, hullabaloo, hoedown, bat, bum, bust, clambake, donation party, fish fry, jamboree, kantikoy, nautch, randy, squantum, tear, Turnerfest, yule log, fete, festival, gala, ridotto, revels, revelry, reveling, carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks, feast, banquet, regale, symposium, wassail, carouse, carousal, jollification, junket, wake, Irish wake, picnic, fete champetre, regatta, field day, treat, round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making, rejoicing, jubilee, bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker, holiday, gala day, red letter day, play day, high days and holidays, high holiday, Bank holiday, May day, Derby day, Saint Monday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Bairam, wayz-goos, bean feast, Arbor Day, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Mardi gras, mi-careme, feria, fiesta, place of amusement, theater, hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom, music hall, park, plaisance, national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public), arbor, garden, pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground, tennis court, racket court, bowling alley, green alley, croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum, skating rink, roundabout, merry-go-round, swing, montagne Russe, game of chance, game of skill, athletic sports, gymnastics, archery, rifle shooting, tournament, pugilism, sports, horse racing, the turf, aquatics, skating, sliding, cricket, tennis, lawn tennis, hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace, pall- mall, tipcat, croquet, golf, curling, pallone, polo, water polo, tent pegging, tilting at the ring, quintain, greasy pole, quoits, horseshoes, discus, rounders, lacrosse, tobogganing, water polo, knurr and spell, leapfrog, hop skip and jump, mother may I, French and English, tug of war, blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper, hide and seek, kiss in the ring, snapdragon, cross questions and crooked answers, crisscross, hopscotch, jacks, jackstones, marbles, mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag, billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle, bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain, American bowls, tenpins, tivoli, cards, card games, whist, rubber, round game, loo, cribbage, besique, euchre, drole, ecarte, picquet, allfours, quadrille, omber, reverse, Pope Joan, commit, boston, boaston, blackjack, twenty- one, vingtun, quinze, thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren, lift smoke, blind hookey, Polish bank, Earl of Coventry, Napoleon, patience, pairs, banker, blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker, bluff, bridge, bridge whist, lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my- neighbor, baccarat, ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce, joker, trump, wild card, spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds, major suit, minor suit, bower, right bower, left bower, dummy, jackpot, deck, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush, misere chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire, game of fox and goose, monopoly, loto, scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman, morra, gambling, toy, plaything, bauble, doll, teetotum, knickknack, magic lantern, peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show, toy shop, quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles, entertainer, showman, showgirl, dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man, vaudeville act, singer, musician, sportsman, gamester, reveler, master of ceremonies, master of revels, pompom girl, arbiter elegantiarum, arbiter bibendi, archer, fan, toxophilite, turfman, amusing, entertaining, diverting, recreational, recreative, lusory, pleasant, laughable, witty, fun, festive, festal, jovial, jolly, jocund, roguish, rompish, playful, playful as a kitten, sportive, ludibrious, funny, very funny, hilarious, uproarious, side-splitting, amused, pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw, laughing, risible, ready to burst, ready to split, ready to die with laughter, convulsed with laughter, rolling in the aisles, on the light fantastic toe, at play, in sport, Int, vive la bagatelle!, vogue la galere!, deus nobis haec otia fecit, dum vivimus vivamus, dulce est desipere in loco, (every room) hath blazed with lights and brayed wi, misce stullitiam consiliis brevem.