jiggery-pokery

American  

[jig-uh-ree-poh-kuh-ree] / ˈdʒɪg ə riˈpoʊ kə ri /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. trickery, hocus-pocus; fraud; humbug.

2. sly, underhanded action.

3. manipulation.

   After a little jiggery-pokery, the engine started.

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jiggery-pokery British  

/ ˈdʒɪɡərɪˈpəʊkərɪ /

noun

1. informal dishonest or deceitful behaviour or business; trickery

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Etymology

Origin of jiggery-pokery

1890–95; alteration of joukery-pawkery. See jouk, pawky, -ery

Explanation

Jiggery-pokery refers to trickery and deception. It's a fun, old-fashioned word that's in the same family as other repetitive-sounding terms for shady behavior, like hocus-pocus, flim-flam, and hanky-panky. Remember jiggery-pokery by thinking of the trickery that a skilled pickpocket might employ. The victim of the ruse might get poked in one part of the body so his brain doesn't register the sensation of another hand in his pocket. The idea of nimble fingers might connect to this word's roots in the Scottish jouk, which means to move your body to avoid a blow, twisting around in in the way of a gymnast or an acrobat.

Example Sentences

"It makes extinction sound like something that’s solvable through scientific jiggery-pokery, an error that can be fixed without the arduous, inconvenient lengths that human beings need to go to to prevent extinctions happening."

From Salon • May 15, 2025

“There are weaknesses in the system. Companies may think they’re buying certified cocoa but there’s some jiggery-pokery going on,” Edward Millard, Rainforest Alliance director for Africa and South Asia, told Reuters.

From Reuters • Apr. 19, 2018

He was known for his sense of humour and colourful language, calling efforts to defend President Obama's healthcare reform law "jiggery-pokery" and "pure applesauce".

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2016

I know that digital jiggery-pokery in The Matrix rocks, but I've got one word for you: Tron.

From The Guardian • Jan. 5, 2013

"What sort of jiggery-pokery was Goode up to?"

From Murder in the Gunroom by Piper, H. Beam