A humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter:
— He knows a million gags.

synonyms: jape, jest, joke, laugh.

Roget 599: the drama, the stage, the theater, the play; film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography; theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus^†, Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis.    play, drama, stage play, piece [Fr.], five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta^†, lever de rideau [Fr.], interlude, afterpiece^†, exode^†, farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta^†, harlequinade^†, pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe [Fr.], ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame [Fr.]; melodrama, melodrame^†; comidie larmoyante [Fr.], sensation drama; tragicomedy, farcical-comedy; monodrame monologue; duologue trilogy^†; charade, proverbs; mystery, miracle play; musical, musical comedy.    [movies] western, horse opera; flick [Coll.]; spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film; pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film.    act, scene, tableau; induction, introduction; prologue, epilogue; libretto.    performance, representation, mise en scene [Fr.], stagery^†, jeu de theatre [Fr.]; acting; gesture etc. 550; impersonation etc. 554; stage business, gag, buffoonery.    light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy.    theater; playhouse, opera house; house; music hall; amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round; puppet show, fantoccini^†; marionettes, Punch and Judy.    auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet; greenroom, coulisses [Fr.].    flat; drop, drop scene; wing, screen, side scene; transformation scene, curtain, act drop; proscenium.    stage, scene, scenery, the boards; trap, mezzanine floor; flies; floats, footlights; offstage; orchestra.    theatrical costume, theatrical properties.    movie studio, back lot, on location.    part, role, character, dramatis personae [Lat.]; repertoire.    actor, thespian, player; method actor; stage player, strolling player; stager, performer; mime, mimer^†; artists; comedian, tragedian; tragedienne, Roscius; star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol; supporting actor, supporting cast; ham, hamfatter [Slang]; masker^†.    pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo^†, buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine; punchinello^†; pulcinello^†, pulcinella^†; extra, bit-player, walk-on role, cameo appearance; mute, figurante^†, general utility; super, supernumerary.    company; first tragedian, prima donna [Sp.], protagonist; jeune premier [Fr.]; debutant, debutante [Fr.]; light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian; walking gentleman, amoroso^†, heavy father, ingenue [Fr.], jeune veuve [Fr.].    mummer, guiser^†, guisard^†, gysart^†, masque.    mountebank, Jack Pudding; tumbler, posture master, acrobat; contortionist; ballet dancer, ballet girl; chorus singer; coryphee danseuse [Fr.].    property man, costumier, machinist; prompter, call boy; manager; director, stage manager, acting manager.    producer, entrepreneur, impresario; backer, investor, angel [Fig.].    dramatic author, dramatic writer; play writer, playwright; dramatist, mimographer^†.    ... show more

Dutch: bak, gebbetje, geestigheid, grap, joke, koddigheid, mop, plaisanterie, witz
Polish: żart, kawał, dowcip

Restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting.

synonym: muzzle.

Roget 752: prison, prison house; jail, gaol, cage, coop, den, cell; stronghold, fortress, keep, donjon, dungeon, Bastille, oubliette, bridewell^†, house of correction, hulks, tollbooth, panopticon^†, penitentiary, guardroom, lockup, hold; round house, watch house, station house, sponging house; station; house of detention, black hole, pen, fold, pound; inclosure etc. 232; isolation (exclusion) 893; penal settlement, penal colony; bilboes, stocks, limbo, quod [Lat.]; calaboose, chauki^†, choky^†, thana^†; workhouse [U.S.].    Newgate, Fleet, Marshalsea; King's Bench, Queen's Bench.    bond; bandage; irons, pinion, gyve, fetter, shackle, trammel, manacle, handcuff, straight jacket, strait jacket, strait-jacket, strait-waistcoat, hopples^†; vice, vise.    yoke, collar, halter, harness; muzzle, gag, bit, brake, curb, snaffle, bridle; rein, reins; bearing rein; martingale; leading string; tether, picket, band, guy, chain; cord etc. (fastening) 45; cavesson^†, hackamore [U.S.], headstall, jaquima [U.S.], lines, ribbons.    bolt, deadbolt, bar, lock, police lock, combination lock, padlock, rail, wall, stone wall; paling, palisade; fence, picket fence, barbed wire fence, Cyclone fence, stockade fence, chain-link fence; barrier, barricade.    drag etc. (hindrance) 706.    ... show more

Dutch: prop
Polish: knebel

Prevent from speaking out:
— The press was gagged.

synonym: muzzle.

Roget 751: restrain, check; put under restraint, lay under restraint; enthral, enthrall, inthral^†, inthrall^†, bethral^†, bethrall^†; restrict; debar etc. (hinder) 706; constrain; coerce etc. (compel) 744; curb, control; hold back, hold from, hold in, hold in check, hold within bounds, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep within bounds; hold in leash, hold in leading strings; withhold.    keep under; repress, suppress; smother; pull in, rein in; hold, hold fast; keep a tight hand on; prohibit etc. 761; inhibit, cohibit^†.    enchain; fasten etc. (join) 43; fetter, shackle; entrammel^†; bridle, muzzle, hopple^†, gag, pinion, manacle, handcuff, tie one's hands, hobble, bind hand and foot; swathe, swaddle; pin down, tether; picket; tie down, tie up; secure; forge fetters; disable, hamstring (incapacitate) 158.    confine; shut up, shut in; clap up, lock up, box up, mew up, bottle up, cork up, seal up, button up; hem in, bolt in, wall in, rail in; impound, pen, coop; inclose etc. (circumscribe) 229; cage; incage^†, encage^†; close the door upon, cloister; imprison, immure; incarcerate, entomb; clap under hatches, lay under hatches; put in irons, put in a strait-waistcoat; throw into prison, cast into prison; put into bilboes.    arrest; take up, take charge of, take into custody; take prisoner, take captive, make prisoner, make captive; captivate; lead captive, lead into captivity; send to prison, commit to prison; commit; give in charge, give in custody; subjugate etc. 749.    ... show more

Roget 599: act, play, perform; put on the stage; personate etc. 554; mimic etc. (imitate) 19; enact; play a part, act a part, go through a part, perform a part; rehearse, spout, gag, rant; strut and fret one's hour upon a stage;" tread the boards, tread the stage; come out; star it.    ... show more

Roget 581: keep silence etc. 585; speak low, speak softly; whisper etc. (faintness) 405.    silence; render mute, render silent; muzzle, muffle, suppress, smother, gag, strike dumb, dumfounder; drown the voice, put to silence, stop one's mouth, cut one short.    stick in the throat.    ... show more

Dutch: muilkorven

Be too tight; rub or press.

synonyms: choke, fret.

Tie a gag around someone's mouth in order to silence them:
— The burglars gagged the home owner and tied him to a chair.

synonym: muzzle.

Make jokes or quips:
— The students were gagging during dinner.

synonym: quip.

Struggle for breath; have insufficient oxygen intake:
— He swallowed a fishbone and gagged.

synonyms: choke, strangle, suffocate.

Cause to retch or choke.

synonym: choke.

Make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit.

synonyms: heave, retch.

Dutch: braken