In a way that repeatedly pesters or nags someone to do something, often annoyingly or relentlessly.
From 'badger' (to pester) + '-ing' (present participle) + '-ly' (adverbial suffix). The verb 'badger' comes from the animal's aggressive digging behavior, used metaphorically since the 1600s to mean harassment.
Badger-baiting was actually a real sport in medieval England where dogs fought badgers in pits—so 'badger' meaning to harass comes from literally tormenting the animal! The word's journey from cruel sport to everyday nagging shows how language softens violent origins over time.
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