rigging

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The ropes, wires and chains that hold up a ship's masts and are used to raise and adjust the sails.

   Grammar: Not used with an or a plural: the rigging was torn by the storm.

   Patterns

   • in the rigging
   • climb the rigging

   The sailors climbed the rigging to free a tangled sail.

   Wind whistled through the rigging all night.

   Salt had stiffened every rope in the rigging.

2. 2noununcountabledisapproving

   Dishonest interference in an election, contest or market to make sure it ends in a chosen way.

   Grammar: Usually follows a word like election or bid: election rigging.

   Patterns

   • rigging of something
   • the rigging of an election

   Observers reported widespread rigging of the vote.

   The company was fined for rigging bids on public contracts.

   Fans were angry at rumours of match rigging.

3. 3noununcountablespecialist

   The ropes, cables and equipment used to hang lights, scenery or heavy loads, for example in a theatre.

   Grammar: Used for the whole system of overhead supports.

   Patterns

   • stage rigging

   The crew checked the stage rigging before raising the heavy curtain.

   Lighting rigging hung from the ceiling of the arena.

Common combinations

ship's rigging

The ship's rigging was covered in ice.

election rigging

The opposition accused the government of election rigging.

bid rigging

Bid rigging pushes up costs for taxpayers.

price rigging

Regulators opened an inquiry into price rigging.

stage rigging

The stage rigging was installed by trained technicians.

Synonyms and how they differ

tackle

Tackle is an older, wider word for ropes and pulleys, while rigging is the system on a ship's masts and sails.

fixing

Fixing is a plainer word for dishonestly arranging a result, while rigging suggests a larger, planned manipulation.

manipulation

Manipulation is a general word for controlling things, while rigging is specifically about forcing a result.

fraud

Fraud is any deliberate deception for gain, while rigging is specifically about forcing the result of a contest.

Opposites

Word family

rig verb

to fit a ship with ropes, or to arrange a result dishonestly

rigger noun

a person who fits or works with rigging

rigged adjective

dishonestly arranged to produce a set result

square-rigged adjective

having square sails across the ship

Commonly confused: rigging or rigging up?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “rigging”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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