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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Gag


GAG, verb transitive

1. To stop the mouth by thrusting something into the throat, so as to hinder speaking.

2. To keck; to heave with nausea.

GAG, noun Something thrust into the mouth and throat to hinder speaking.

GAGE, noun [Eng. to wage.]

1. A pledge or pawn; something laid down or given as a security for the performance of some act to be done by the person depositing the thing, and which is to be forfeited by non-performance. It is used of a movable thing; not of land or other immovable.

There I throw my gage.

2. A challenge to combat; that is, a glove, a cap, a gauntlet, or the like, cast on the ground by the challenger, and taken up by the accepter of the challenge.

3. A measure, or rule of measuring; a standard. [See Gauge.]

4. The number of feet which a ship sinks in the water.

5. Among letter-founders, a piece of hard wood variously notched, used to adjust the dimensions, slopes, etc. of the various sorts of letters.

6. An instrument in joinery made to strike a line parallel to the straight side of a board.

A sliding-gage, a tool used by mathematical instrument makers for measuring and setting off distances.

Sea-gage, an instrument for finding the depth of the sea.

Tide-gage, an instrument for determining the highth of the tides.

Wind-gage, an instrument for measuring the force of the wind on any given surface.

Weather-gage, the windward side of a ship.

GAGE, verb transitive To pledge; to pawn; to give or deposit as a pledge or security for some other act; to wage or wager.

1. To bind by pledge, caution or security; to engage.

2. To measure; to take or ascertain the contents of a vessel, cask or ship; written also gauge.