¹badger

noun bad·ger \ˈba-jər\

: a type of animal that lives in the ground and has short thick legs and long claws on its front feet

Full Definition of BADGER

a : any of various burrowing mammals (especially Taxidea taxus and Meles meles) of the weasel family that are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere

b : the pelt or fur of a badger

capitalized : a native or resident of Wisconsin —used as a nickname

See badger defined for English-language learners

See badger defined for kids

Origin of BADGER

probably from badge; from the white mark on its forehead

First Known Use: 1523

Other Mammals Terms

dormouse, dugong, gibbon, grimalkin, sable, stoat, ungulate, vole

Rhymes with BADGER

cadger

²badger

verb

: to bother or annoy (someone) with many comments or questions

: to ask or tell someone again and again to do something

Full Definition of BADGER

transitive verb

: to harass or annoy persistently

See badger defined for English-language learners

Origin of BADGER

from the sport of baiting badgers

First Known Use: 1794

Synonym Discussion of BADGER

bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down. bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim <baited the chained dog>. badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy <badgered her father for a car>. heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker <drunks heckled the stand-up comic>. hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering <football players hectored by their coach>. chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging <chivied the new student mercilessly>. hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing <hounded by creditors>.