jiggen

Jiggen is a verb form found in English, primarily as a nonstandard or dialectal variant related to the verb "jig." It denotes making a quick, jerky movement or performing a jig, the traditional lively dance. In standard English, the related forms are "jig" (to dance a jig) and "jigging" (the act of jigging). "Jiggen" appears mainly in informal speech, regional dialects, and playful or stylized writing, but it is not widely used in formal or edited prose.

In fishing contexts, "jigging" describes the technique of lifting and dropping a lure to provoke a strike. Some speakers may use "jiggen" informally to describe the same action, though this usage is not common in technical or instructional materials.

Compared to "jig" and "jigging," "jiggen" carries little standardized definition, and its interpretation can vary by speaker. It has no widely recognized separate meaning beyond being a colloquial variant of related terms.

Origin: The term derives from the noun "jig," a lively dance or a bobbing motion; the verb form with an -en suffix arises in some English dialects as a nonstandard infinitive or participle.