gag1 /ɡaɡ 
/ ▸ noun 1 a piece of cloth put in or over a person's mouth to prevent them from speaking: they tied him up and put a gag in his mouth.
▪ a restriction on dissemination of information: every contract contains a self-signed gag.
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.
▪ prevent (someone) from speaking freely or disseminating information: they are trying to gag their critics.
2 [no object] choke or retch: he gagged on the wine.
3 (be gagging for) informal mainly British English be very eager to have or do (something): I'm absolutely gagging for a pint
we'll be sitting in front of the TV at five to seven next Saturday evening, gagging for the next instalment.
– ORIGIN Middle English: perhaps related to Old Norse gagháls ‘with the neck thrown back’, or imitative of a person choking.
English