badger

[baj-er]

noun

1. any of various burrowing, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, as Taxidea taxus, of North America, and Meles meles, of Europe and Asia.

2. the fur of this mammal.

3. Australian.

   1. a wombat.

   2. bandicoot.

4. (initial capital letter),  a native or inhabitant of Wisconsin the Badger State (used as a nickname).

5. a swablike device for cleaning excess mortar from the interiors of newly laid tile drains.

verb (used with object)

1. to harass or urge persistently; pester; nag.

   I had to badger him into coming with us.

   Synonyms: worry, plague, bedevil, vex, bait, disturb

badger

/ ˈbædʒə /

noun

1. any of various stocky omnivorous musteline mammals of the subfamily Melinae , such as Meles meles ( Eurasian badger ), occurring in Europe, Asia, and North America: order Carnivora (carnivores). They are typically large burrowing animals, with strong claws and a thick coat striped black and white on the head Compare ferret badger hog badger

2. another name for ratel

verb

1. (tr) to pester or harass

Other Word Forms

• unbadgered adjective
• unbadgering adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of badger¹

1515–25; variant of badgeard, perhaps badge + -ard, in allusion to white mark or badge on head

Word History and Origins

Origin of badger¹

C16: variant of badgeard , probably from _badge (from the white mark on its forehead) + _-ard

Example Sentences

BBC Scotland News understands the operation was delayed by a badger sett being within the search area.

Read more on BBC

And then there are the bit players they run into throughout who, in Mr. Panahi’s acidic vision of a desperate society, tend to end interactions by badgering for a tip.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Earthworms, which feed badgers and hedgehogs, are living inside rock hard and dry soil, meaning the animals could struggle to dig to find them and may have to travel further for food.

Read more on BBC

It is recognised as a problem which devastates farm businesses, spreading from badgers to cattle, and from cow to cow.

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The cameras have captured badgers, foxes and hedgehogs as well as the nesting swifts.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• annoy 
• bully 
• goad 
• harass 
• heckle 
• hound 
• pester 
• tease 
• torment