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.
1 Beeping or chirping from a CO carbon monoxide detector alarm, a sound that is not continuous but sounds every few minutes, may indicate a dead or dying battery-replace the battery; if the alarm is in doubtful condition replace it.