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A branks was a kind of bridle constructed of iron bands, acting as a gag, formerly used in England and Scotland as an instrument of punishment for scolds and slanderous women. The culprit was paraded through the streets by the bellman, beadle, or constable, or chained to the market cross where she was exposed to public ridicule.
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A gag-bit is a powerful type of bit used in breaking horses.
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The gag-rule was a rule adopted by the American Congress in January, 1836, on motion of John C Calhoun. Congress had long been besieged by petitions from abolitionists all over the country. Calhoun proposed that henceforth all anti-slavery petitions be laid on the table unnoticed. This infringement upon the right of petition only increased the petition spirit in the North, and the 'gag-rule' was, after a long struggle, abolished on December the 3rd, 1844. John Quincy Adams was its bitterest opponent and an ardent upholder of anti-slavery principles in Congress during ten years.
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The Prats were a social club of practical jokers which met and practised their art at the Humble Plumb public house in Bitterne, Southampton for several years at the end of the 20th century. Each year, the group elected a leader, who was then crowned 'King Prat' for the year. The group met in a specific corner of the public bar, an area known as 'Prat's Corner' and held lunches as well as conducting a campaign of practical jokes, one of the most famous being the artificial christmas tree pine needles gag - each year the landlord of the pub erected an artificial christmas tree. One year the Prats decided to each bring in some real pine needles, and secretly spread them around the floor under the artificial christmas tree, as though the tree had shed real pine needles like a real christmas tree would. A select group of friends, they became known as the prats after one disgruntled regular customer at the pub, fed up with being refused membership of the club was heard to describe the group (not unfairly as it happens) as 'a bunch of supercilious prats'. The name stuck and was adopted as the club title.
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GAG is an abbreviation for Gridding Accuracy Group
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Gag is an island of Indonesia.
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Gag was 18th century slang for a hoax.
Gag is American slang for to vomit.
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Gag me with a spoon is American slang for an exclamation of exaggerated astonishment or thrilled disgust.
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Gag rule is American political slang for an enforced restriction of debate or discussion of an issue within government.
Research Gag Rule
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The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
©1993 - 2009 The Probert Encyclopaedia
Southampton, United Kingdom
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