Phrasal verb
gag for
Definition
phrasal verb. to want something very much. You use this when you are extremely eager for a drink, food, or an experience.
phrasal verb. to have an intense desire or craving for something; often used to express a desperate need for a specific item or activity.
Examples
“I am gagging for a cup of tea.”
“After that long meeting in the hot sun, everyone was gagging for a cold beer.”
“By the end of the dry January challenge, he was absolutely gagging for a glass of red wine with his Sunday roast.”
Examples
simple
“I am gagging for a cup of tea.”
contextual
“After that long meeting in the hot sun, everyone was gagging for a cold beer.”
complex
“By the end of the dry January challenge, he was absolutely gagging for a glass of red wine with his Sunday roast.”
Usage
usually used in the continuous form ('be gagging for') and followed by a noun.
Teaching tip
this is a very common British colloquialism; explain that while 'gag' usually means to choke, here it suggests a thirst so strong it affects the throat.
Pitfall
I gag for a coffee.
I am gagging for a coffee.
this phrase is almost exclusively used in the continuous '-ing' form to show current, strong desire.
Phrasal verb
Particles
for
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
be + gagging + for + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/gag-for