/ ˈbædʒə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
an animal with grey fur and wide black and white lines on its head. Badgers are nocturnal (= active mostly at night) and live in holes in the ground.
■ verb
badger sb (into doing sth) | badger sb (about sth) to put pressure on sb by repeatedly asking them questions or asking them to do sth
SYN pester :
[ vn ]
I finally badgered him into coming with us.
Reporters constantly badger her about her private life.
[ vn to inf ]
His daughter was always badgering him to let her join the club.
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WORD ORIGIN
early 16th cent.: perhaps from badge , with reference to its distinctive head markings. The verb sense (late 18th cent.) originates from the now illegal sport of badger-baiting, where dogs draw a badger from its set and kill it.