Chapter Jewry to Jobbing of J by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Jig
(Jig) n. [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. (Mus.) A light, brisk musical movement.

Hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig.

Shak.

3. A light, humorous piece of writing, esp. in rhyme; a farce in verse; a ballad. [Obs.]

A jig shall be clapped at, and every rhyme
Praised and applauded.

Beau. & Fl.

4. A piece of sport; a trick; a prank. [Obs.]

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. (Mach.) (a) A small machine or handy tool; esp.: (Metal Working) 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. (b) (Mining) An apparatus or a machine for jigging ore.

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
(Jig), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jigged ; p. pr. & vb. n. Jigging ]

1. To sing to the tune of a jig.

Jig off a tune at the tongue's end.

Shak.

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

3. (Mining) To sort or separate, as ore in a jigger or sieve. See Jigging, n.

4. (Metal Working) To cut or form, as a piece of metal, in a jigging machine.

Jig
(Jig), v. i. To dance a jig; to skip about.

You jig, you amble, and you lisp.

Shak.

Jigger
(Jig"ger) n. [A corrupt. of chigre.] (Zoöl.) A species of flea which burrows beneath the skin. See Chigoe.

Jigger
(Jig"ger), n. [See Jig, n. & v.]

1. One who, or that which, jigs; specifically, a miner who sorts or cleans ore by the process of jigging; also, the sieve used in jigging.

2. (Pottery) (a) A horizontal table carrying a revolving mold, on which earthen vessels are shaped by rapid motion; a potter's wheel. (b) A templet or tool by which vessels are shaped on a potter's wheel.

3. (Naut.) (a) A light tackle, consisting of a double and single block and the fall, used for various purposes, as to increase the purchase on a topsail sheet in hauling it home; the watch tackle. Totten. (b) A small fishing vessel, rigged like a yawl. [New Eng.] (c) A supplementary sail. See Dandy, n., 2 (b).