noun
jig
A device that keeps a tool or workpiece correctly positioned.
The jig holds the board steady and guides the drill.
Etymology
The tool-holding sense belongs to jig’s broader use for a mechanical device, probably connected with the verb meaning to jerk back and forth. The earlier origin of this word group is uncertain.
More examples
- She uses a jig to space the holes evenly.
- This jig keeps the pieces aligned while we join them.
- The shop has several jigs for cutting different angles.
Forms
jig · jigs
Similar words
- fixture
- A fixture holds work steady but does not guide tools.
- template
- A template provides a pattern rather than securing the work.