banter vs gag

banter

verb
  • To tease (someone) mildly. 

  • To delude or trick; to play a prank upon. 

  • To challenge to a match. 

  • To haggle; cheapen the price. 

  • To engage in banter or playful conversation. 

  • To play or do something amusing. 

  • To joke about; to ridicule (a trait, habit, etc.). 

noun
  • Sharp, good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation. 

gag

verb
  • To astonish (someone); to be at a loss for words. 

  • To restrain someone's speech by blocking his or her mouth. 

  • To cause to heave with nausea. 

  • To pry or hold open by means of a gag. 

  • To choke; to retch. 

  • To experience the vomiting reflex. 

  • To restrain someone's speech without using physical means. 

noun
  • A joke or other mischievous prank. 

  • Mycteroperca microlepis, a species of grouper. 

  • Any suppression of freedom of speech. 

  • An order or rule forbidding discussion of a case or subject. 

  • A device to restrain speech, such as a rag in the mouth secured with tape or a rubber ball threaded onto a cord or strap. 

  • a device or trick used to create a practical effect; a gimmick 

  • A convulsion of the upper digestive tract. 

How often have the words banter and gag occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )