Badger


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

a wombat.
bandicoot (def 2).

(initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of Wisconsin (the Badger State) (used as a nickname).
a swablike device for cleaning excess mortar from the interiors of newly laid tile drains.
to harass or urge persistently; pester; nag:
I had to badger him into coming with us.
Contemporary Examples

badger and her boyfriend went out to the garage to wrap presents.
Madonna Badger’s ‘Today’ Interview Shouldn’t Ignore Fire’s Tragic Lessons Michael Daly June 20, 2012

But I liked what they did with Elliott and Gretchen, the lasers with badger and Skinny Pete.
How I Write: Tracy Chevalier Noah Charney November 12, 2013

In the badger State, Democratic gubernatorial challenger Tom Barrett is the one primarily relying on third-party efforts.
Wisconsin Recall: Bucking the Super-PAC Trend Ben Jacobs June 2, 2012

In an election season with many bright spots for the Republican Party, the badger State shone among the brightest.
Reince Priebus Ousts Michael Steele as RNC Chairman Samuel P. Jacobs, Shushannah Walshe January 13, 2011

badger, a retired U.S. army officer, recalls Loughner pointing a gun at his face.
Aurora Murders Rekindle Horrific Memories for Survivors of the 2011 Tucson Shootings Lizzie Crocker July 27, 2012

Historical Examples

Sleep is a necessity to a badger, and it was already long past bed-time.
Lives of the Fur Folk M. D. Haviland

When the boy had gone Faust came forth from his hiding like a badger.
Thoroughbreds W. A. Fraser

“Well, it’s time we were all in bed,” said the badger, getting up and fetching flat candlesticks.
The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame

So they played the game of “badger in the Bag,” kicking it around the hall.
Welsh Fairy Tales William Elliott Griffis

It were indeed too long for our purpose to transcribe the half of what Mr. badger has interestingly written on this topic.
Memoir of Rev. Joseph Badger Elihu G. Holland

noun
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
honey badger, another name for ratel
verb
(transitive) to pester or harass
n.

1520s, perhaps from bage “badge” (see badge) + -ard “one who carries some action or possesses some quality,” suffix related to Middle High German -hart “bold” (see -ard). If so, the central notion is the badge-like white blaze on the animal’s forehead (cf. French blaireau “badger,” from Old French blarel, from bler “marked with a white spot;” also obsolete Middle English bauson “badger,” from Old French bauzan, literally “black-and-white spotted”). But blaze (n.2) was the usual word for this.

An Old English name for the creature was the Celtic borrowing brock; also græg (Middle English grei, grey). In American English, the nickname of inhabitants or natives of Wisconsin (1833).
v.

1790, from badger (n.), based on the behavior of the dogs in the medieval sport of badger-baiting, still practiced in 18c. England. Related: Badgered; badgering.

this word is found in Ex. 25:5; 26:14; 35:7, 23; 36:19; 39:34; Num. 4:6, etc. The tabernacle was covered with badgers’ skins; the shoes of women were also made of them (Ezek. 16:10). Our translators seem to have been misled by the similarity in sound of the Hebrew _tachash_ and the Latin _taxus_, “a badger.” The revisers have correctly substituted “seal skins.” The Arabs of the Sinaitic peninsula apply the name _tucash_ to the seals and dugongs which are common in the Red Sea, and the skins of which are largely used as leather and for sandals. Though the badger is common in Palestine, and might occur in the wilderness, its small hide would have been useless as a tent covering. The dugong, very plentiful in the shallow waters on the shores of the Red Sea, is a marine animal from 12 to 30 feet long, something between a whale and a seal, never leaving the water, but very easily caught. It grazes on seaweed, and is known by naturalists as Halicore tabernaculi.

Read Also:

  • Badged

    a special or distinctive mark, token, or device worn as a sign of allegiance, membership, authority, achievement, etc.: a police badge; a merit badge. any emblem, token, or distinctive mark: He considered a slide rule as the badge of an engineering student. a card bearing identifying information, as one’s name, symbol or place of employment, […]

  • Badger game

    an extortion scheme in which a woman places a man in a compromising position and then victimizes him by demanding money when her male accomplice, pretending to be an outraged husband or relative, enters and threatens violence, scandal, etc. Historical Examples A month ago she was again in trouble with the police—caught playing the badger […]

  • Badger plane

    a plane for finishing rabbets or the like.

  • Badger skunk

    hog-nosed skunk (def 1). Historical Examples He is also called the badger skunk because of the big claws on his front feet and the fact that he is a great digger. The Burgess Animal Book for Children Thornton W. Burgess

  • Badger state

    Wisconsin (used as a nickname). any of various burrowing, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, as Taxidea taxus, of North America, and Meles meles, of Europe and Asia. the fur of this mammal. Australian. a wombat. bandicoot (def 2). (initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of Wisconsin (the Badger State) (used as a nickname). […]


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