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Jig

1. A light, brisk musical movement. Hot and hasty, like a Scotch jib. (Shak)

3. A light, humorous piece of writing, especially. In rhyme; a farce in verse; a ballad. A jig shall be clapped at, and every rhyme Praised and applauded. (Beau. & Fl)

4. A piece of sport; a trick; a prank. Is't not a fine jig, a precious cunning, in the late Protector? (Beau & Fl)

5. A trolling bait, consisting of a bright spoon and a hook attached.

6. (Science: machinery) a contrivance fastened to or inclosing a piece of work, and having hard steel surfaces to guide a tool, as a drill, or to form a shield or templet to work to, as in filing.

(Science: chemical) An apparatus or a machine for jigging ore. Drill jig, a jig for guiding a drill. See jig.

6 .

(Science: chemistry) jig drilling, jig filing, 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.

Origin: OF. Gigue a stringed instrument, a kind of dance, f. Gigue dance, tune, gig; of german origin; cf. MHG. Gige fiddle, g. Geige. Cf. Gig a fiddle, gig a whirligig.

1. To sing to the tune of a jig. Jig off a tune at the tongues end. (Shak)

2. To trick or cheat; to cajole; to delude.

3. (Science: chemical) to sort or separate, as ore in a jigger or sieve. See jigging.

4. (Science: chemistry) to cut or form, as a piece of metal, in a jigging machine.

Origin: Jigged; jigging.