Desperate in a derogatory way. i.e. She was gagging for it.
Gagging
Example Sentences
"Don't Gagging about like that!"
"He's always trying to Gagging when he shouldn't."
Etymology & History
Colloquial British verb that emerged from informal speech patterns. Such verbs often began in working-class or regional dialects before being adopted more widely across British English.
Word Details
📍
Region
General British
📅
Era
Modern
✓
Language
Mild
💬
Formality
Slang
Categories:
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Anglotopia's Dictionary of British English 2nd Edition
British Slang from A to Zed
By Jonathan Thomas
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I first heard ‘gagging for it in Islington London UK in late 1983 into 1984. A drug user term originally.
Why: A proportion of heroin addicts, when partially into withdrawal literally gag when the drugs arrive. Not all, but a large proportion. Used as a means of expressing onset of dire need for something. Originally narcotics. I am 100% sure of this being the earliest usage I heard.
This was commonly used within that drug user community at the time. Very London, a new usage as far as this Londoner knows and only used in that community for many years.
I assume it’s color and power caused it to be adopted elsewhere. I didn’t hear it widely used elsewhere until the 21st century.
‘thanks mate, I was gagging for it’.