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.
People with tinnitus hear noises in their ears. Each person with tinnitus experiences it differently. Tinnitus is from the Latin word for ringing, and to some people the noise does indeed sound like ringing. Others describe their ear noise as roaring, rushing, hissing, chirping, beeping, buzzing, whistling, or clicking. The sound might be high-pitched, low-pitched, or multi-toned, or it might sound like static.