Badger

/ˈbædʒər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A burrowing mammal of the family Mustelidae, typically having a stout body, short legs, and long claws.

The badger rummaged through the underbrush in search of food.

A person who persistently annoys others or makes repeated demands.

He's such a badger about wanting to go to the movies every weekend.

verb

To repeatedly ask someone to do something; to pester or harass.

She badgered her parents until they finally agreed to let her stay out late.

To annoy or irritate persistently.

Don't badger me with your constant questions during the meeting.

Middle English 'badger', possibly from the dialectal term for a peddler.

badger someone

To persistently annoy or question someone until they yield.

badgering them for answers

Continuously asking for answers in an annoying manner.

pester

To annoy persistently with requests or interruptions.

nag

To annoy someone by constantly reminding them to do something.

hassle

To cause someone inconvenience or difficulty.

To complain excessively about something.

Stop badgering about the wifi; it's not that serious.

To insist on something annoyingly.

He's always badgering about getting more vacation days.