gag Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
joke; jest; laugh; jape.
- he told a very funny joke
- he knows a million gags
- thanks for the laugh
- he laughed unpleasantly at his own jest
- even a schoolboy's jape is supposed to have some ascertainable point
noun restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting
muzzle.
verb prevent from speaking out
muzzle.
- The press was gagged
verb be too tight; rub or press
choke; fret.
- This neckband is choking the cat
verb tie a gag around someone's mouth in order to silence them
muzzle.
- The burglars gagged the home owner and tied him to a chair
verb make jokes or quips
quip.
- The students were gagging during dinner
verb struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake
strangle; suffocate; choke.
- he swallowed a fishbone and gagged
verb cause to retch or choke
choke.
verb make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit
retch; heave.

Prob. fr. W. cegio to choke or strangle, fr. ceg mouth, opening, entrance.

imperfect & past participle Gagged ; present participle & verbal noun Gagging

To stop the mouth of, by thrusting sometimes in, so as to hinder speaking; hence, to silence by authority or by violence; not to allow freedom of speech to. Marvell.
The time was not yet come when eloquence was to be gagged, and reason to be hood winked. Maccaulay.
To pry or hold open by means of a gag.
Mouths gagged to such a wideness. Fortescue (Transl. ).
To cause to heave with nausea.

Sometimes thrust into the mouth or throat to hinder speaking.
A mouthful that makes one retch; a choking bit; as, a gag of mutton fat. Lamb.
A speech or phrase interpolated offhand by an actor on the stage in his part as written, usually consisting of some seasonable or local allusion. Slang