gig

¹

[gig]

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.

3. 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, gigging 

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.

gig

²

[gig]

noun

Informal.

1. short for gigabyte.

gig

³

[gig]

noun

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

2. Nautical.

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

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

3. something that whirls.

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

5. Obsolete.,  whirligig.

verb (used without object)

gigged, gigging 

1. to ride in a gig.

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

gig

⁴

[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, gigging 

1. to catch or spear (a fish or frog) with a gig.

verb (used without object)

gigged, gigging 

1. to catch fish or frogs with a gig.

gig

⁵

[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, gigging 

1. to give a gig to or punish with a gig.

gig

¹

/ 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

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

4. a machine for raising the nap of a fabric

verb

1. (intr) to travel in a gig

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

gig

²

/ ɡɪɡ /

noun

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

2. short for fishgig

verb

1. to catch (fish) with a gig

gig

³

/ ɡɪɡ /

noun

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

2. the performance itself

verb

1. (intr) to perform at a gig or gigs

gig

⁴

/ ɡɪɡ /

noun

1. informal,  short for gigabyte

Word History and Origins

Origin of gig¹

First recorded in 1925–30; origin uncertain

Origin of gig²

First recorded in 1985–90

Origin of gig³

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”

Origin of gig⁴

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

Origin of gig⁵

First recorded in 1940–45; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of gig¹

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

Origin of gig²

C18: shortened from _fishgig

Origin of gig³

C20: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Sophia has gotten each of her gigs through people she knows and has lost confidence in finding work through online job sites, where she’s encountered numerous “ghost jobs”—listings for employment that doesn’t really exist.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It is now 10 years since Radiohead last released new material, and 99 months since their last UK gig.

Read more on BBC

His agent has booked him a gig as “Sad American,” a role he can easily play with his looming height, doleful eyes and a heart he wears on his sleeve.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“We had eleven songs,” some of which had to be repeated to fill out a gig.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But sports CMO is a competitive gig to get, and a demanding job to have.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• appearance 
• concert 
• engagement 
• recital