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# gag

noun (a gag, gags); verb (gag, gags, gagged, gagging)

«gag» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (noun) A joke or a funny trick, especially by a comedian: a running gag. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#m1)
2. (verb) To feel as if you are going to be sick, with your throat tightening: the smell made me gag. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#m2)
3. (noun) A piece of cloth put over or in someone's mouth to stop them talking or shouting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#m3)
4. (verb) To stop someone from speaking freely, for example a newspaper: a gagging order. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#m4)
5. (informal) «Gagging for something» (UK slang) means wanting it very much: I'm gagging for a drink. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#m5)
6. To gag someone means to put a cloth over their mouth so they cannot speak or shout. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#m6)

### In the lessons

In stories a gag can be a joke, or a sign of danger when a villain gags a captive. In everyday life children «gag» on food they dislike or at bad smells. In news and law, a gagging order stops people publicly talking about something. Phrases: a running gag, sight gag, gag reflex, gagging order, gagging for it (avoid this one: it can sound rude).

### Examples

- The comedian's best gag was about a talking dog. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x1)
- The smell from the bin made me gag. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x2)
- The running gag in the cartoon is that the dog never gets the ball. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x3)
- The robbers had tied a gag around the guard's mouth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x4)
- Some people gag when the dentist checks their back teeth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x5)
- The judge gave a gagging order so the newspapers could not print the names. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x6)
- After footy training I was gagging for a cold drink. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x7)
- Dad's old gags make us groan every Christmas. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x8)
- With ironical politeness Hook raised his hat to her, and, offering her his arm, escorted her to the spot where the others were being gagged. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/#x9)

### Note

Verb: double g before -ed and -ing (gagged, gagging). «Gag reflex» is the body's automatic way of stopping you choking. In the UK, «gagging for it» can have an adult meaning; it is better avoided. A «gag» (joke) is not the same as a «gaggle» (a group of geese).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «gag» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gag/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«gag» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/gag.html) on Mova free.