Library / English Dictionary

BADGER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sturdy carnivorous burrowing mammal with strong claws; widely distributed in the northern hemisphere

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("badger" is a kind of...):

mustelid; musteline; musteline mammal (fissiped fur-bearing carnivorous mammals)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "badger"):

American badger; Taxidea taxus (a variety of badger native to America)

Eurasian badger; Meles meles (a variety of badger native to Europe and Asia)

ferret badger (small ferret-like badger of southeast Asia)

Arctonyx collaris; hog-nosed badger; hog badger; sand badger (southeast Asian badger with a snout like a pig)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A native or resident of Wisconsin

Synonyms:

Badger; Wisconsinite

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("Badger" is a kind of...):

American (a native or inhabitant of the United States)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Persuade through constant efforts

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "badger" is one way to...):

persuade (cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody's arm)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They badger him to write the letter

Sense 2

Meaning:

Annoy persistently

Example:

The children teased the boy because of his stammer

Synonyms:

badger; beleaguer; bug; pester; tease

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "badger" is one way to...):

bedevil; crucify; dun; frustrate; rag; torment (treat cruelly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot badger Sue

Derivation:

badgerer (someone who tries to embarrass you with gibes and questions and objections)

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