gag1

noun

• 1a 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

• 2a 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:the government is trying to gag its critics

• 2 [no object] choke or retch:he gagged on the wine (as adjective gagging)Angela made a gagging noise

• 3 (be gagging for) informal, chiefly British 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