jigger
Preserved but no longer current.
A door; "dub the JIGGER," shut the door. Ancient cant, GYGER. In billiards, the bridge or rest is often termed the JIGGER. Also, the curtain of a theatre. JIGGER has many meanings, the word being applied to any small mechanical contrivance. Printers use the word for a little machine which guides the eye when copy is minute.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “jigger” mean?
A door; "dub the JIGGER," shut the door. Ancient cant, GYGER. In billiards, the bridge or rest is often termed the JIGGER. Also, the curtain of a theatre. JIGGER has many meanings, the word being applied to any small mechanical contrivance. Printers use the word for a little machine which guides the eye when copy is minute.
Is “jigger” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.