gig

1
[ gig ]
See synonyms for: giggigs on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a single professional engagement of one or more performers, especially of jazz or rock musicians: His band has a gig at a club in New Jersey.

  2. a live performance, as on a stage: I went to see my friend's comedy gig.

  1. any job, especially one of short or uncertain duration: Years ago he had a teaching gig out west somewhere.

adjective
  1. relating to or being a job of short or uncertain duration: Gig workers don't receive benefits such as health insurance.

verb (used without object),gigged, gig·ging.
  1. to work as a musician or other performer, especially in a single engagement: That vocalist has gigged with some of the biggest names in the business.

  2. to work at any job, especially one of short or uncertain duration: He gigs as a clown at children’s birthday parties.

Origin of gig

1
First recorded in 1925–30; origin uncertain

Words Nearby gig

Other definitions for gig (2 of 5)

gig2
[ gig ]

nounInformal.
  1. short for gigabyte.

Origin of gig

2
First recorded in 1985–90

Other definitions for gig (3 of 5)

gig3
[ gig ]

noun
  1. a light, two-wheeled one-horse carriage.

  2. Nautical.

    • a light boat rowed with four, six, or eight long oars.

    • a boat reserved for the use of the captain of a ship.

  1. something that whirls.

  2. Also called gig mill . a roller containing teasels, used for raising nap on a fabric.

  3. Obsolete. whirligig (def. 5).

verb (used without object),gigged, gig·ging.
  1. to ride in a gig.

  2. to raise the nap on (a fabric).

Origin of gig

3
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English gigge, gig “flighty girl, loose woman; awkward or boorish man”; akin to Danish gig “top”; compare Norwegian giga “to shake about”

Other definitions for gig (4 of 5)

gig4
[ gig ]

noun
  1. a device, commonly four hooks secured back to back, for dragging through a school of fish to hook them through the body.

  2. a spearlike device with a long, thick handle, used for spearing fish and frogs.

verb (used with object),gigged, gig·ging.
  1. to catch or spear (a fish or frog) with a gig.

verb (used without object),gigged, gig·ging.
  1. to catch fish or frogs with a gig.

Origin of gig

4
First recorded in 1700–10; shortened from fishgig or fizgig

Other definitions for gig (5 of 5)

gig5
[ gig ]

noun
  1. an official report of a minor infraction of regulations, as in school or the army; a demerit.

  2. a punishment for a minor infraction of rules.

verb (used with object),gigged, gig·ging.
  1. to give a gig to or punish with a gig.

Origin of gig

5
First recorded in 1940–45; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use gig in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gig (1 of 4)

gig1

/ (ɡɪɡ) /


noun
  1. a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage without a hood

  2. nautical a light tender for a vessel, often for the personal use of the captain

  1. a long light rowing boat, used esp for racing

  2. a machine for raising the nap of a fabric

verbgigs, gigging or gigged
  1. (intr) to travel in a gig

  2. (tr) to raise the nap of (fabric)

Origin of gig

1
C13 (in the sense: flighty girl, spinning top): perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Danish gig top, Norwegian giga to shake about

British Dictionary definitions for gig (2 of 4)

gig2

/ (ɡɪɡ) /


noun
  1. a cluster of barbless hooks drawn through a shoal of fish to try to impale them

  2. short for fishgig

verbgigs, gigging or gigged
  1. to catch (fish) with a gig

Origin of gig

2
C18: shortened from fishgig

British Dictionary definitions for gig (3 of 4)

gig3

/ (ɡɪɡ) informal /


noun
  1. a job, esp a single booking for a musician, comedian, etc, to perform at a concert or club

  2. the performance itself

verbgigs, gigging or gigged
  1. (intr) to perform at a gig or gigs

Origin of gig

3
C20: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for gig (4 of 4)

gig4

/ (ɡɪɡ) /


noun
  1. informal short for gigabyte

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012