1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, ii. 2. He’s for a jigg, or a tale of
bawdry.
1614. Cook, City Gallant [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), xi. 268]. But
what jig is this?
1640. Shirley, Coronation, v. 1. What dost think of this
innovation? Is’t not a fine jigg.
1641. Brome, Jovial Crew, in Wks. (1873), iii. 415. Such tricks and
jiggs you would admire.
1647. Beaumont and Fletcher, Fair Maid of the Inn, Prol. A jig
shall be clapp’d at, and every rhyme prais’d.
1690. B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Jig, a trick.... A pleasant jig
= a witty, arch trick.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1838. Comic Almanack. And now I’m equipped for my jig, I’ll finish
my begging petition.
1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, p. 14. I know’d the jig was up.
1857–8. Child, Ballads. They will play thee anither jigg, For they
will out at the big rig.
1888. Detroit Free Press, 29 Dec. He knew the jig was up.