Zig vs. Jig — What's the Difference?

One of a series of sharp turns or reversals

The jig (Irish: port, Scottish Gaelic: port-cruinn) is a form of lively folk dance in compound metre, as well as the accompanying dance tune. It first gained popularity in 16th-century Scotland and Northern England, and was quickly adopted on mainland Europe where it eventually became the final movement of the mature Baroque dance suite (the French gigue; Italian and Spanish giga).

To turn or change direction suddenly. Usually used in contrast to zag

Any of various lively dances in triple time.

To behave erratically or indecisively. Usually used with zag

The music for such a dance. Also called gigue.

A sudden or sharp turn or change of direction.

A joke or trick. Used chiefly in the phrase The jig is up.

To make such a turn.

A typically metal fishing lure with one or more hooks, usually deployed with a jiggling motion on or near the bottom.

An angular shape characterized by sharp turns in alternating directions

An apparatus for cleaning or separating crushed ore by agitation in water.

A device for guiding a tool or for holding machine work in place.

Used as a disparaging term for a black person.

To dance or play a jig.

To move or bob up and down jerkily and rapidly.

To operate a jig.

To bob or jerk (something) up and down or to and fro.

To machine (an object) with the aid of a jig.

To separate or clean (ore) by shaking a jig.

(music) A light, brisk musical movement; a gigue.

A lively dance in 6/8 (double jig), 9/8 (slip jig) or 12/8 (single jig) time; a tune suitable for such a dance. By extension, a lively traditional tune in any of these time signatures. Unqualified, the term is usually taken to refer to a double (6/8) jig.

A dance performed by one or sometimes two individual dancers, as opposed to a dance performed by a set or team.

(fishing) A type of lure consisting of a hook molded into a weight, usually with a bright or colorful body.

A device in manufacturing, woodworking, or other creative endeavors for controlling the location, path of movement, or both of either a workpiece or the tool that is operating upon it. Subsets of this general class include machining jigs, woodworking jigs, welders' jigs, jewelers' jigs, and many others.

(mining) An apparatus or machine for jigging ore.

(obsolete) A light, humorous piece of writing, especially in rhyme; a farce in verse; a ballad.

(obsolete) A trick; a prank.

A black person.

To move briskly, especially as a dance.

To move with a skip or rhythm; to move with vibrations or jerks.

(fishing) To fish with a jig.

To sing to the tune of a jig.

To trick or cheat; to cajole; to delude.

(mining) To sort or separate, as ore in a jigger or sieve.

To cut or form, as a piece of metal, in a jigging machine.

To skip school or be truant (Australia, Canadian Maritimes)

A light, brisk musical movement.

A light, humorous piece of writing, esp. in rhyme; a farce in verse; a ballad.

A piece of sport; a trick; a prank.

A trolling bait, consisting of a bright spoon and a hook attached.

A small machine or handy tool

To sing to the tune of a jig.

To trick or cheat; to cajole; to delude.

To cut or form, as a piece of metal, in a jigging machine.

To dance a jig; to skip about.

To move with a skip or rhythm; to move with vibrations or jerks.

Music in three-four time for dancing a jig

Any of various old rustic dances involving kicking and leaping

Dance a quick dance with leaping and kicking motions