jigger

¹ American  

[jig-er] / ˈdʒɪg ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that jigs.

2. Nautical.

   1. the lowermost sail set on a jiggermast.

   2. jiggermast.

   3. a light tackle, as a gun tackle.

3. any of various mechanical devices, many of which have a jerky or jolting motion.

4. Informal. some contrivance, article, or part that one cannot or does not name more precisely.

   What is that little jigger on the pistol?

5. Ceramics. a machine for forming plates or the like in a plaster mold rotating beneath a template.

6. Mining. a jig for separating ore.

7. a jig for fishing.

8. Golf. a club with an iron head intermediate between a mashie and a midiron, now rarely used.

9. Billiards, Pool. a bridge.

10. 1. a 1½-oz. (45-milliliter) measure used in cocktail recipes.

    2. a small whiskey glass holding 1½ ounces (45 milliliters).

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jigger ² American  

[jig-er] / ˈdʒɪg ər /

noun

1. Also called jigger flea.  chigoe.

2. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. chigger.

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jigger ³ American  

[jig-er] / ˈdʒɪg ər /

verb (used with object)

1. to interfere with.

2. to manipulate or alter, especially in order to get something done illegally or unethically.

   to jigger company records to conceal a loss.

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jigger ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒɪɡə /

noun

1. a person or thing that jigs

2. golf an iron, now obsolete, with a thin blade, used for hitting long shots from a bare lie

3. any of a number of mechanical devices having a vibratory or jerking motion

4. a light lifting tackle used on ships

5. a small glass, esp for whisky, with a capacity of about one and a half ounces

6. a light hand- or power-propelled vehicle used on railway lines

7. engineering a type of hydraulic lift in which a hydraulic ram operates the lift through a block and tackle which increases the length of the stroke

8. a device used when setting a gill net beneath ice

9. mining another word for jig

10. nautical short for jiggermast

11. billiards another word for bridge 1

12. informal a device or thing the name of which is unknown or temporarily forgotten

13. dialect an alleyway

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jigger ² British  

/ ˈdʒɪɡə /

noun

1. other names for the chigoe

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Etymology

Origin of jigger¹

First recorded in 1665–75; of unknown origin; perhaps from jig ¹ or jig ² ( def. ) + -er ¹

Origin of jigger²

First recorded in 1750–60; variant of chigger

Origin of jigger³

First recorded in 1865–70; jig ² + -er ⁶

Example Sentences

I think her team wouldn’t let her shoot unless they had a key light on her, so they had to jigger this key light.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2023

A 1/2-ounce Japanese-style jigger, which is more elongated and narrow than other types, is the “most necessary piece of barware,” Spangler said.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 17, 2021

It comes with a stainless steel shaking tin, strainer, jigger, bar spoon, mixing glass and a square ice cube tray – all of which are made from recognizable drinkware brands like Koriko, Yarai and CoCo.

From Fox News • Dec. 15, 2021

A one/two-ounce Japanese-style jigger, which is more elongated and narrower than other types, is the “most necessary piece of barware,” Spangler said; it’s used to measure and pour ingredients.

From Washington Post • Dec. 2, 2021

Never while I was Captain C.'s guest did I see either centipede, or scorpion, or jigger, or any other unclean beast in any room of which these girls had charge.

From The English in the West Indies or, The Bow of Ulysses by Froude, James Anthony