pig

name

1. The twelfth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.

noun

1. Persuade, Identify, GOTV, an electoral technique commonly employed in the United Kingdom.
2. Police in gear.
3. Acronym of pipe inspection gauge.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English pigge (“pig, piglet”) (originally a term for a young pig, with adult pigs being swyn (“swine”)), from Old English *picga, *pycga (attested in picgbrēad (“mast, pig-fodder”)), perhaps a diminutive of Proto-West Germanic *puk, *pūk (“pig”), which also gave rise to Middle Low German pûke, puyke (“pig, piglet”). Pokorny suggests this root might be somehow related to *bū-, *bew- (“to blow; swell”), which could account for the alternation between "pig" and "big". Compare Middle Dutch pogge, puggen, pigge, pegsken (> dialectal Dutch pogge (“piglet”)), Middle Low German pugge (> Westphalian German Low German Pogge, Pugge, Püggsken (“pig, piglet”)). A connection to early modern Dutch bigge (modern Dutch big (“piglet”)), West Frisian bigge (“piglet”), German Low German Bigge, Bigg (“piglet”), and Saterland Frisian Bikkie (“piggy”) is sometimes proposed, "but the phonology is difficult". Some sources say the words are "almost certainly not" related, others consider a relation "probable, but not certain". The slang sense of "police officer" is attested since at least 1785.

1. To give birth.

   “The black sow pigged at seven this morning.”

2. To greedily consume (especially food).

   “They were pigging on the free food at the bar.”

   “"Wow, Doc. That's heavy." Denis sat there pigging on the joint as usual.”

3. To huddle or lie together like pigs, in one bed.
4. To live together in a crowded filthy manner.
5. To clean (a pipeline) using a pig (the device).