gig Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun long and light rowing boat; especially for racing
  2. noun an implement with a shaft and barbed point used for catching fish
    fizgig; fishgig; lance; spear.
  3. noun a cluster of hooks (without barbs) that is drawn through a school of fish to hook their bodies; used when fish are not biting
  4. noun tender that is a light ship's boat; often for personal use of captain
  5. noun small two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage; with two seats and no hood
  6. noun a booking for musicians
    • they played a gig in New Jersey

WordNet

Gig transitive verb
Etymology
Prob. fr. L. gignere to beget.
Definitions
  1. To engender. Obs. Dryden.
Gig noun
Definitions
  1. A kind of spear or harpoon. See Fishgig.
Gig transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To fish with a gig.
Gig noun
Etymology
OE. gigge. Cf. Giglot.
Definitions
  1. A playful or wanton girl; a giglot.
Gig noun
Etymology
Cf. Icel. ggja fiddle, MHG. gge, G. geige, Icel. geiga to take a wrong direction, rove at random, and E. jig.
Definitions
  1. A top or whirligig; any little thing that is whirled round in play.
    Thou disputest like an infant; go, whip thy gig. Shak.
  2. A light carriage, with one pair of wheels, drawn by one horse; a kind of chaise.
  3. (Naut.) A long, light rowboat, generally clinkerbuilt, and designed to be fast; a boat appropriated to the use of the commanding officer; as, the captain's gig.
  4. (Mach.) A rotatory cylinder, covered with wire teeth or teasels, for teaseling woolen cloth.

Webster 1913