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

“In the wilderness, with the bugs and the badgers and those hungry, hungry wolves!”

Read more on Literature

She added: "Your constant pestering, badgering and, eventually, attendance at their home address on a dark evening in December was unwarranted."

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So does badgering the Fed to cut rates before inflation is tamed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Her Bertha is the kindly, nurturing counterweight to Seth’s badgering boisterousness, a quality Morris infuses with just enough avuncular affection.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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

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Related Words

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