badger
nounverbnounattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈbæd͡ʒə//
- United States//ˈbæd͡ʒɚ//
Any member of species of the genera Meles, Arctonyx, Mellivora or Taxidea, of mammals.
noun
- 1
Any member of species of the genera Meles, Arctonyx, Mellivora or Taxidea, of mammals.
- 2
A native or resident of the American state, Wisconsin.
- 3
obsoleteA brush made of badger hair.
- 4
obsoleteA gang of robbers who robbed near rivers, into which they threw the bodies of those they murdered.
- 5
slangA person who is very fond of cricket.
Etymology
From Middle English bageard (“marked by a badge”), from bage (“badge”), referring to the animal's badge-like white blaze, equivalent to badge + -ard. Displaced earlier brock, from Old English brocc.
verb
- 1
To pester; to annoy persistently; to press.
He kept badgering her about her bad habits.
"Yeah? Cool. Just a warning: people are going to badger you about that. It's practically inevitable for gay trans people."
noun
- 1
obsoleteAn itinerant licensed dealer in commodities used for food; a hawker or huckster; especially one who bought grain in one place and sold it in another.
Etymology
Unknown Possibly from bagger. "Baggier" is cited by the OED in 1467-8.
Forms
- plural
- badgers
- past tense
- badgered
- past participle
- badgered
- present participle
- badgering
- third person singular
- badgers
badger · Any member of species of the genera Meles, Arctonyx, Mellivora or Taxidea, of mammals.
Badger · A native or resident of the American state of Wisconsin.badly · In a bad manner.bae · Darling (term of endearment).