gag line
- noun
- /ɡæɡ laɪn/
:
remate
- He told a joke, but forgot the gag line!
Examples
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You could tell the whole story was leading up to that clever gag line.
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He forgot the gag line and the joke fell flat.
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The comedian delivered the gag line with perfect timing, bringing the audience to laughter.
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The comedian delivered the perfect gag line that had everyone laughing.
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The comedian delivered the perfect gag line that had the entire audience laughing.
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After a long buildup, the gag line left everyone in stitches at the end of the joke.
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She always knows how to craft the ideal gag line to wrap up her funny stories.
Synonyms
70
3.7
A short funny remark that makes people laugh
29
3.5
The last part of a joke that makes people laugh
1
4.2
The final funny line in a joke that makes people laugh
1
3.9
The main funny part of a joke that makes people smile
How Funny
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the line that delivers the joke' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'gag' (a joke) with 'line' (a sentence or remark). This straightforward noun+noun composition follows common English compounding patterns and would be predictable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Gag line comes from old stage shows where a gag meant a short joke and a line was the sentence a performer said, so the gag line is the final sentence that gives the 'punchline' and makes the audience laugh.