The act of persuading or influencing someone through private or persistent whispering, or the behavior of earwigs.
Present participle of 'earwig' (verb), which dates to British English. It metaphorically describes the persistent, secretive nature of whispered influence, as if someone were constantly buzzing persuasive words in your ear.
British slang has kept 'earwigging' alive as one of the most colorful words for manipulative gossip—it sounds exactly like what it means: annoying, persistent, and creepy!
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