peg

¹ American  

[peg] / pɛg /

noun

1. 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.

2. Informal. a leg, either real or wooden.

   still on his pegs at 99.

3. a notch or degree.

   to come down a peg.

4. an occasion, basis, or reason.

   a peg to hang a grievance on.

5. Music. Also 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.

6. Informal. a throw, especially in baseball.

   The peg to the plate was late.

7. news peg.

8. Economics. the level at which some price, exchange rate, etc., is set.

9. British, Indian English. an alcoholic drink, especially a whiskey or brandy and soda.

10. British. clothespin.

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verb (used with object)

pegged, pegging

1. to drive or insert a peg into.

2. to fasten with or as with pegs.

3. to mark with pegs.

4. to strike or pierce with or as with a peg.

5. to keep (the commodity price, exchange rate, etc.) at a set level, as by manipulation or law.

6. Informal. to throw (a ball).

7. Journalism. to base (an article, feature story, etc.) upon; justify by (usually followed byon ).

   The feature on the chief of police was pegged on the riots.

8. Informal. to identify.

   to peg someone as a good prospect.

verb (used without object)

pegged, pegging

1. to work or continue persistently or energetically.

   to peg away at a homework assignment.

2. Informal. to throw a ball.

3. Croquet. to strike a peg, as in completing a game.

adjective

1. Also pegged. tapered toward the bottom of the leg.

   peg trousers.

idioms

1. 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!

Peg ² American  

[peg] / pɛg /

noun

1. a female given name, form of Peggy.

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peg British  

/ pɛɡ /

noun

1. a small cylindrical pin or dowel, sometimes slightly tapered, used to join two parts together

2. a pin pushed or driven into a surface: used to mark scores, define limits, support coats, etc

3. 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

4. US and Canadian equivalent: clothespin.  Also called: clothes peg.  a split or hinged pin for fastening wet clothes to a line to dry

5. informal a person's leg

6. dialect a tooth

7. a small drink of wine or spirits, esp of brandy or whisky and soda

8. an opportunity or pretext for doing something

   a peg on which to hang a theory

9. a mountaineering piton

10. croquet a post that a player's ball must strike to win the game

11. angling a fishing station allotted to an angler in a competition, marked by a peg in the ground

12. informal a level of self-esteem, importance, etc (esp in the phrases bring or take down a peg )

13. informal See peg leg

14. (of clothes) ready to wear, as opposed to tailor-made

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verb

1. (tr) to knock or insert a peg into or pierce with a peg

2. to secure with pegs

   to peg a tent

3. mountaineering to insert or use pitons

4. (tr) to mark (a score) with pegs, as in some card games

5. informal (tr) to aim and throw (missiles) at a target

6. (intr; foll by away, along, etc) to work steadily

   he pegged away at his job for years

7. (tr) to stabilize (the price of a commodity, an exchange rate, etc) by legislation or market operations

peg More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing peg

• square peg in a round hole
• take down a notch (peg)

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Other Word Forms

• pegless adjective
• peglike adjective
• repeg verb

Etymology

Origin of peg

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

Example Sentences

Foden was tireless, but this was England's equivalent of an ill-fitting square peg in a round hole.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Because the rate serves as a peg for home loans, it helped pull the 30-year mortgage rate below 6% for the first time since 2022.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

A balance-of-payments crisis could happen when sustained demand for a particular currency depleted the U.S. government’s official reserve holdings, thereby threatening the stability of the peg.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

“Where we peg the dividend at a moment in time is something the board will take up in, I guess…in March. And there’s not a lot more I can add to that.”

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

And with that he took my hat from its peg, wrapped my hand in his, and led me from the room.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• fix