Definition of Gag
A gag is usually an item or device designed to prevent speech, often as a restraint device to stop the subject from calling for help and keep its wearer silent. This is usually done by blocking the mouth, partially or completely, or attempting to prevent the tongue, lips, or jaw from moving in the normal patterns of speech.
The use of gags is commonly depicted in soap operas and crime fiction, particularly in comics, novels and films.
Courts have been known to gag certain people, such as the civil rights activist Bobby Seale. This practice has been criticized as inhumane.
Related terms
Deer horn
A deer horn, or deer whistle, is a whistle mounted on automobiles intended to help…
Anechoic chamber
An anechoic chamber (an-echoic meaning "non-reflective" or "without echoes") is a room…
Silence procedure
A silence procedure, tacit consent, or tacit acceptance procedure (French: procédure…
Crackling noise
Crackling noise arises when a system is subject to an external force and it responds via…
Isolation booth
An isolation booth is a cabinet used to prevent a person or people from seeing or…
Formant
In speech science and phonetics, a formant is the broad spectral maximum that results…
Plane wave tube
An acoustic duct or plane wave tube is a test facility used in acoustics. Anechoic…
Nominal level
Nominal level is the operating level at which an electronic signal processing device is…
Acoustic harassment device
Acoustic harassment and acoustic deterrents are technologies used to keep animals and in…
Frequently asked questions
What is Gag?
A gag is usually an item or device designed to prevent speech, often as a restraint device to stop the subject from calling for help and keep its wearer silent.
Sources & credits
- Wikipedia: Gag – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Meghan Duthu megimu32 – CC0 1.0