I. ˈgig noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English gigg, gigge giddy girl, top; perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish gig top, Old Norse geiga to turn aside; akin to Old English geonian to yawn — more at yawn
1. : something that whirls: as
a. obsolete : top , whirligig
b. or gig mill : a rotary cylinder covered with teasels or wire teeth for napping fabrics (as wool)
c. : a three-number combination selected to appear among the numbers to be drawn from a lottery wheel
2.
a. archaic : joke , whim
b. dialect England : fun , sport
c. : a person of odd or grotesque appearance : oddity , fool
we would look like a lot of gigs in that rig-out — Punch
3.
a. : a long light ship's boat for oars or sail usually clinker-built and fast and usually appropriated for the commanding officer
the captain's gig
also : a boat designed for the captain's exclusive use
b. : a rowboat designed for speed rather than for work or carrying
4. : a light carriage that has one pair of wheels and is drawn by one horse : chaise
II. verb
( gigged ; gigged ; gigging ; gigs )
transitive verb
1. : to nap (fabric) with the use of a gig
2. : to move backwards and fowards
intransitive verb
: to travel in a gig
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: short for fishgig
1. : fishgig
2. : an arrangement of hooks to be drawn through a school of fish when they will not bite in order to hook them in the bodies
IV. verb
( gigged ; gigged ; gigging ; gigs )
transitive verb
1. : to spear with a fishgig
gig a flounder
2.
a. chiefly West : spur
gigged him with the spurs — Ross Santee
: prod , jab
gigged him in the ribs — A.B.Guthrie
b. : harass , annoy
gigs … politicos with biting irony or refined ridicule — Time
c. : goad , provoke , rouse
gig his students into practice in the arts of thinking and analysis — New York Herald Tribune
intransitive verb
: to fish with a fishgig
gigging for fish
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
slang : an official report of an infraction of military rules ; also : demerits or light punishment resulting from such a report
VI. transitive verb
( gigged ; gigged ; gigging ; gigs )
slang : to report unfavorably for an infraction of military rules
would be gigged by the first officer who saw him — Life
also : to assign demerits or light punishment for such infraction
gets gigged … for being eleven minutes late — J.G.Cozzens
VII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
1. : a single engagement ; especially : one-night stand
graduate work in music, with as much sideline work, as many gigs, as the student can find time to develop his jazz skills — Barry Ulanov
2. : job
VIII. ˈgig intransitive verb
( gigged ; gigged ; gigging ; gigs )
Etymology: gig (VII)
: to work as a musician
gigged with various bands — Downbeat