gag

gag · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A joke or humorous story, especially one forming part of a comedian's act.

  2. 2.

    A piece of cloth or other material put in or over a person's mouth to prevent them from speaking or crying out.

  3. 3.

    A restriction on free speech or the publication of information.

Forms

plural: gags

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    gag order — a legal order restricting information about a case
  • •
    running gag — a joke that recurs throughout a performance or series
  • •
    gag reflex — the automatic throat contraction when something touches the back of the mouth

Related words

See also: gagging, gags, joke
Synonyms: jest, joke, prank

Etymology

From Middle English gaggen (to suffocate, strangle), possibly of imitative origin.