A device to restrain speech, such as a rag in the mouth secured with tape or a rubber ball threaded onto a cord or strap.
"Researchers identified GAG as a critical component in the viral envelope that helps the virus evade the immune system."
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Abbreviation of group-specific antigen.
In plain English: A gag is something funny that makes people laugh, often used to describe a joke or a silly situation.
"She had to stop eating because she felt a sudden gag in her throat."
Usage: As a noun, gag refers specifically to an object used to silence someone by blocking their mouth, distinct from its verb form which describes the physical act of choking up. Use this term when describing restraints in movies or emergency situations where speech must be physically prevented.
The word gag likely comes from an imitative sound or was influenced by Old Norse terms describing a head thrown backward. Its earliest uses in English referred to stopping speech and retching, while the meaning of a practical joke appeared later in the 19th century.