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gig

Pronunciation: /ɡɪɡ/

The English word “gig” has 20 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. Originally (music), a performing engagement by a musician or musical group; (by extension, film, television, theater) a job or role for a performer.
  2. Any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis.
  3. A demerit received for some infraction of a military deportment or dress code.
  4. Any unit of measurement having the SI prefix giga-.
  5. A top which is made to spin by tying a piece of string around it and then throwing it so that the string unwinds rapidly; a whipping-top.
  6. A person with an odd appearance; also, a foolish person.
  7. Fun; frolics.
  8. A fanciful impulse; a whim; also, a joke.
  9. A small, narrow, open boat carried in a larger ship, and used for transportation between the ship and the shore, another vessel, etc.
  10. A similar rowing boat or sailboat, especially one used for racing; specifically, a six-oared sea rowing boat commonly found in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
  11. A two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse.
  12. A frivolous, playful, or wanton young woman; a giglet or giglot.
  13. Synonym of fishgig or fizgig (“a spear with a barb on the end of it, used for catching fish, frogs, or other small animals”).

verb

  1. To play (a musical instrument) at a gig.
  2. To impose a demerit (on someone) for an infraction of a military deportment or dress code.
  3. To engage in a musical performance, act in a theatre production, etc.
  4. To work at any job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis.
  5. To make a joke, often condescendingly, at the expense of (someone); to make fun of.
  6. Sometimes followed by it: to ride in a gig (“a two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse”).
  7. To spear (fish, etc.) with a gig or fizgig.

Etymology

The etymology of the noun is unknown, but compare Old French gigue (“a fiddle”). The verb is derived from the noun.

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.