gag

gag¹ [gæg] v past tense and past participle gagged present participle gagging

[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: Probably from the sound of someone being prevented from breathing]

1.)

to be unable to swallow and feel as if you are about to bring up food from your stomach

▪ The foul smell made her gag.

gag on

▪ He almost gagged on his first mouthful of food.

2.) [T]

to put a piece of cloth over someone's mouth to stop them making a noise

▪ Thugs gagged her and tied her to a chair.

▪ He left his victim bound and gagged (=tied up and with something over their mouth that stops them speaking) .

3.) [T]

to stop people saying what they want to say and expressing their opinions

▪ an attempt to gag political activists

→↑gag order, ↑gag rule

4.) be gagging to do sth/be gagging for sth

[i]BrE informal to be very eager to do or have something

▪ They were gagging to sign the contract.

5.) be gagging for it

BrE informal to be very eager to have sex

gag ²

gag² n

1.) informal a joke or funny story

▪ He told a few gags.

▪ It was a bit of a running gag (=a joke which is repeated) in the show.

2.) a piece of cloth put over someone's mouth to stop them making a noise