gag (1) — ONAD

gag1 /ɡaɡ, ɡæɡ

▸ noun

1 a piece of cloth put in or over a person's mouth to prevent them from speaking or crying out:

they tied him up and put a gag in his mouth.

▪ a restriction on freedom of speech or dissemination of information:

they lobbied hard for a gag on doctors and nurses.

2 a device for keeping the patient's mouth open during a dental or surgical operation.

▸ verb

(gags, gagging, gagged)

1 [with object] put a gag on (someone):

she was bound and gagged by robbers in her home.

▪ (of a person or body with authority) prevent (someone) from speaking freely or disseminating information:

the administration is trying to gag its critics.

2 [no object] choke or retch:

he gagged on the sourness of the wine.

– ORIGIN Middle English : perhaps related to Old Norse gagháls ‘with the neck thrown back’, or imitative of a person choking.