(one's) jig is up
One's plan or scheme has been discovered 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. Our jig is up if they figure out how we manipulated the accounts.
between the jigs and the reels
That which happens among, despite, or because of great confusion, chaos, or disarray; between or because of one thing and another. Primarily heard in Ireland. I was resolved to leave work early that day, but then the boss called a last-minute meeting, the printer stopped working, and I got put on hold with a client for half an hour. So between the jigs and the reels, I ended up leaving an hour late! He drew loans from all over the country, using one to pay off the other. Between the jigs and the reels, he ended up owing more than millions to various banks and investors. You were really between the jig and the reels when you had to choose between your career and your relationship.
goat's jig
obsolete Sexual intercourse. I think I overheard two of the servants doing the goat's jig last night! A: "How on earth did Edith get pregnant?" B: "Well, I suspect the goat's jig had something to do with the it!" You can't marry a man so far below your station, so you certainly shouldn't be doing the goat's jig with him!
in jig time
Very quickly or swiftly. Don't worry, we won't hand the project in late—we'll get it done in jig time. A: "Without traffic, we'll get there in jig time. We'll be fine." B: "But there's always traffic, though!" I need you to pull these files in jig time because the auditors are coming later today.
jig (it)
To absent oneself or leave early (from school or work) when one would normally be required to be there; to play truant. Primarily heard in Australia. I was so restless and bored at work that I decided to just jig it after lunch without telling anyone. Hey, Jim and I are planning on jigging from school on Friday, do you want to come with us? That's the last time you jig class, mister! From now on, I'm dropping you to school every morning!
the jig is up
The plan or scheme has been discovered and/or thwarted; the game, trick, or deception is at an end. The jig is up, Smith! The police found your fingerprints all over the safe. We tried to smuggle a kitten into the house, but when mom saw me carrying a saucer of milk, I knew that the jig was up.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
game is up, the
Also, the jig is up. The trick or deception has been exposed. For example, When they took inventory they realized what was missing, and the game was up for the department head . This expression dates from the mid-1800s and uses up in the sense of "over" or "lost." The variant employs jig in the sense of "trickery," a usage dating from about 1600.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.