1810, member of a gang of murderers and robbers in India who strangled their victims, from Marathi thag, thak cheat, swindler, Hindi thag, perhaps from Sanskrit sthaga-s cunning, fraudulent, possibly from sthagayati (he) covers, conceals, from PIE root *(s)teg- cover (see stegosaurus).
It may also occur in one ear or both ears. The most common reason for muffled hearing is conductive hearing loss that can be caused by a variety of factors or medical conditions including a build up of ear wax and ear infections. In most cases, however, it is treatable and does not lead to permanent hearing damage.
* Just 1 minute of exposure to noises at this level can result in permanent hearing loss, according to the National Institutes of Health. * Continual exposure to noises in this range can cause permanent hearing loss. I recommend maintaining levels below 75 decibels and listening to your ears, says Dr. Watts. If a sound is too loud, remove yourself from the situation or put on proper hearing protection..