View synonyms for peg

peg

[ peg ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a pin of wood or other material driven or fitted into something, as to fasten parts together, to hang things on, to make fast a rope or string on, to stop a hole, or to mark some point.
Informal. a leg, either real or wooden:
still on his pegs at 99.
a notch or degree:
to come down a peg.
an occasion, basis, or reason:
a peg to hang a grievance on.
Also . Music. a pin of wood or metal in the neck of a stringed instrument that may be turned in its socket to adjust a string's tension.
Informal. a throw, especially in baseball:
The peg to the plate was late.
news peg.
Economics. the level at which some price, exchange rate, etc., is set.
British, Indian English. an alcoholic drink, especially a whiskey or brandy and soda.
British. clothespin.

, pegged, peg·ging.

to drive or insert a peg into.
to fasten with or as with pegs.
to mark with pegs.
to strike or pierce with or as with a peg.
to keep (the commodity price, exchange rate, etc.) at a set level, as by manipulation or law.
Informal. to throw (a ball).
Journalism. to base (an article, feature story, etc.) upon; justify by (usually followed by on ):
The feature on the chief of police was pegged on the riots.
Informal. to identify:
to peg someone as a good prospect.

, pegged, peg·ging.

to work or continue persistently or energetically:
to peg away at a homework assignment.
Informal. to throw a ball.
Croquet. to strike a peg, as in completing a game.

Peg

[ peg ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

peg

/ pɛɡ /

a small cylindrical pin or dowel, sometimes slightly tapered, used to join two parts together
a pin pushed or driven into a surface: used to mark scores, define limits, support coats, etc
music any of several pins passing through the head ( peg box ) of a stringed instrument, which can be turned so as to tune strings wound around them See also pin
Also calledclothes peg a split or hinged pin for fastening wet clothes to a line to dry US and Canadian equivalentclothespin
informal.
a person's leg
dialect.
a tooth
a small drink of wine or spirits, esp of brandy or whisky and soda
an opportunity or pretext for doing something
a peg on which to hang a theory
a mountaineering piton
croquet a post that a player's ball must strike to win the game
angling a fishing station allotted to an angler in a competition, marked by a peg in the ground
informal.
a level of self-esteem, importance, etc (esp in the phrases bring or take down a peg )
informal.
See peg leg
off the peg
(of clothes) ready to wear, as opposed to tailor-made

tr to knock or insert a peg into or pierce with a peg
trsometimes foll bydown to secure with pegs
to peg a tent
mountaineering to insert or use pitons
tr to mark (a score) with pegs, as in some card games
informal.
tr to aim and throw (missiles) at a target
intr; foll by away, along, etc to work steadily
he pegged away at his job for years
tr to stabilize (the price of a commodity, an exchange rate, etc) by legislation or market operations

Origin of peg¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English pegge (noun), peggen (verb), from Middle Dutch

Origin of peg¹

C15: from Low Germanic pegge

take down a peg, to reduce the pride or arrogance of; humble; humiliate: Also take down a notch.
I guess that'll take him down a peg!

In addition to the idiom beginning with peg , also see square peg in a round hole ; take down a notch (peg) .

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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