gag

gag (gag)

transitive verb gagged, gag′·ging

to cause to retch or choke
to put something over or into the mouth of, so as to keep from talking, crying out, etc.
to keep from speaking or expressing oneself freely, as by intimidation
to prevent or limit speech in (a legislative body)
Mech. to choke or stop up (a valve, etc.)

Etymology: ME gaggen, of echoic orig.

intransitive verb

noun

something put into or over the mouth to prevent talking, crying out, etc.
☆ any restraint of free speech
a device for holding the jaws open for dental work or for any surgery inside the mouth
1. a comical remark or act; joke, as one interpolated by an actor on the stage
2. a practical joke or hoax

To stop the mouth
choke, muzzle, muffle, obstruct, stifle, smother, throttle, strangle, garrote, silence by violence, tape up, suffocate.
To forbid expression to
silence, constrain, suppress, repress, hush; see also quiet 2.
To retch
be nauseated, sicken, choke; see vomit.

Object

clause: Some new Trust hospitals are imposing ' gagging clauses ' on their staff.
order: Due to the gagging order placed on these pages, some of the excuses can't be printed.

Converse of object

crack: Matt thinks it makes Brian pretty dull - he even turned down a cracking gag for his wedding speech.
run: There is a kind of running gag in the teacher's unending struggle to motivate his pupils.
wear: The protestors wore gags in a silent protest over being silenced.
write: Lucy Porter has written gags for some of our best known comedians.

Adjective modifier

throwaway: Nowadays, of course, the Comic Relief joke is to use the inclusion of a high profile celebrity as a throwaway gag.
topical: To paraphrase a topical gag, City gave a David Blaine 2nd half display, they could not get away from their box.
hilarious: This hilarious gag brings me neatly on to my subject for September - leeks.
visual: A hilarious action comedy from 1926 with incredible visual gags.
funny: In fact most of the funniest gags are in the trailers!
verbal: Even the latest episodes contain priceless visual and verbal gags to rival the best that has gone before.

Modifies a noun

reel: The next bonus material item, the 7 minute Evans gag reel, is a true gem.
gift: He'd bought the antique harness from a junk shop as a gag gift for a friend's wedding.
writer: Woody began his career in the mid-Fifties as a gag writer, before commencing his own stand up act in the early 60s.

Noun used with modifier

fart: But then he'll veer off at a tangent, or throw in a fart gag and the feeling is lost.
knob: SM: Tell them a knob gag or something.
sight: Then he tried the sight gag - going for a clinch with Gaby in a prop hospital bed.
mouth: They may " mouth gag " or " neck stretch " in an attempt to regurgitate.

Possessives

dart: Until next time, Ben ' The Yellow Dart ' Lancaster don't get the ' yellow dart ' gag?

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