n. & v.
--n.
1. a any omnivorous hoofed bristly mammal of the family Suidae, esp. a domesticated kind, Sus scrofa. b US a young pig; a piglet. c (often in comb.) any similar animal (guinea-pig).
2 the flesh of esp. a young or sucking pig as food (roast pig).
3 colloq. a a greedy, dirty, obstinate, sulky, or annoying person. b an unpleasant, awkward, or difficult thing, task, etc.
4 an oblong mass of metal (esp. iron or lead) from a smelting-furnace.
5 sl. derog. a policeman.
--v. (pigged, pigging)
1. tr. (also absol.) (of a sow) bring forth (piglets).
2 tr. colloq. eat (food) greedily.
3 intr. herd together or behave like pigs.
Phrases and idioms:
bleed like a pig (or stuck pig) bleed copiously. buy a pig in a poke buy, accept, etc. something without knowing its value or esp. seeing it. in pig (of a sow) pregnant. in a pig's eye colloq. certainly not. make a pig of oneself overeat. make a pig's ear of colloq. make a mess of; bungle. pig in the middle a person who is placed in an awkward situation between two others (after a ball game for three with one in the middle). pig-iron crude iron from a smelting-furnace. Pig Island Austral. & NZ sl. New Zealand. pig it live in a disorderly, untidy, or filthy fashion. pig-jump Austral. sl. n. a jump made by a horse from all four legs.
--v.intr. (of a horse) jump in this manner. pig Latin a made-up jargon. pig-meat Brit. pork, ham, or bacon. pig out (often foll. by on) esp. US sl. eat gluttonously. pigs might fly iron. an expression of disbelief. pig-sticker a long sharp knife. pig's wash PIGSWILL.
Derivatives:
piggish adj. piggishly adv. piggishness n. piglet n. piglike adj. pigling n.
Etymology: ME pigge f. OE pigga (unrecorded)