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gig

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(one's) jig is up

One's plan or scheme has been discovered and/or thwarted; one's game, trick, or deception is at an end. A variant of the much more common phrase "the jig is up." Your jig is up, Senator Marten! Your tax evasion has been found out, and the police are here to escort you to prison. We were going to play a practical joke on David, but when he noticed our car parked out front, I knew that our jig was up.

See also: jig, up

gig

1. n. a onetime job; an engagement. (Musicians.) I had a gig out on the west side, but I couldn’t get there.

2. in. to play or perform. (Musicians.) I didn’t gig at all last week. I’m getting hungry for a job.

3. n. any job of an assignment nature; a onetime job such as when a newspaper reporter is assigned to write a particular story. I didn’t want that election gig, but I got it anyway.

4. n. a bother; an annoyance; a job. Man, this paperwork is such a gig.

5. n. a giggle; a bit of laughter. Her little story gave us all a good gig.