What does jigging mean?
Jigging is the act of dancing a jig, a lively dance characterized by a distinctive rhythm and springing, intricate footwork. The word is especially associated with Irish and Scottish traditional dance, although jigging can also refer to a person moving rhythmically in a jigging manner. In angling, jigging is a technique in which a baited hook or fishing line is repeatedly raised and lowered through the water to attract fish. Thus, the two principal meanings share an image of repeated, rhythmic movement: dancers mark the beat with their feet, while anglers work their tackle in a controlled vertical motion. Jigging can also describe something bobbing or oscillating irregularly, though this use is less common. The word is useful because it names both a specific dance tradition and a practical method of fishing, as well as the broader pattern of lively rhythmic motion associated with both.
To dance a jig; to move with the quick, rhythmic steps characteristic of a jig.
"They jigged to the fiddle music until the hall emptied."
This is the dominant everyday sense in British and Irish dance contexts.
To fish by repeatedly raising and lowering a baited hook or line.
"Anglers jigged for cod from the pier."
This is a specialized fishing use, especially associated with methods using a weighted hook or line.
To move or bob rapidly up and down in an irregular rhythm.
"The loose end of the rope jigged in the wind."
This is a less common, figurative or descriptive use.
A jig may be danced, but the same word can also describe angling with a line that dances up and down through the water.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jigging come from?
The related noun jig is recorded in Middle English and is commonly linked to Old French gigue, meaning a dance or tune. The ultimate origin of that French word is uncertain. Modern forms such as jigging developed from the older English stem, with the suffix -ing marking an action in progress.
Related word forms
How jigging is actually used
In its most familiar sense, jigging usually refers to Irish or Scottish traditional dancing. The fishing sense is technical but well established, while the sense of bobbing or moving irregularly is more general and less frequent.
Easily confused with jigging
Jigging involves rhythmic dancing or repeatedly moving a fishing line, whereas jogging means running at a steady pace.