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 ( def 5 ).

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

“The only thing we could do was sing in private concerts for wealthy people who could pay for them, or do government gigs. And we didn’t like either of those paths.”

From Los Angeles Times

But why is the gig surrounded by mystique, all these years later?

From BBC

He went on to perform at a later gig alongside Kneecap, and they had “no problem getting along.”

From Los Angeles Times

He noted that his most recent gig, at the Half Moon pub in Putney, west London, in February, had been a sell-out, which was "testimony to his superb talent".

From BBC

We ended up with the same answer, which was basically that the only way to find out is to get some gigs in small venues.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appearance
• concert
• engagement
• recital