peg

[ peg ]

/ pɛg /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR peg ON THESAURUS.COM

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 called pin. 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.

verb (used with object), 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.

verb (used without object), 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.

adjective

Also pegged. tapered toward the bottom of the leg: peg trousers.

Nearby words

Idioms

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

Origin of peg

1400–50; late Middle English pegge (noun), peggen (v.) < Middle Dutch

Related formspeg·less, adjectivepeg·like, adjectivere·peg, verb, re·pegged, re·peg·ging.

Definition for peg (2 of 2)

Peg

[ peg ]

/ pɛg /

noun

a female given name, form of Peggy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for peg

To “link up the beachheads and peg out claims well inland” was necessarily the first aim of Overlord.
Blood in the Sand: When James Jones Wrote a Grunt’s View of D-Day|James Jones|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And so the shaming of them, the public taking them down a peg or two, become moments to savor.
Why Does Everyone Hate Lea Michele?|Tim Teeman|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His team routed the British and hence, at the Patiala Peg, drinks are served in 75 ml glasses, compared to the standard 60 ml.
An Indian Icon Reborn: The Imperial Hotel Reclaims Its Glory Days|Esha Chhabra|May 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Chris Christie casts a big political shadow—but one Democrat has stepped up to try to take him down a peg.
In New Jersey, Barbara Buono Is the Last Democrat Standing|David Freedlander|February 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Jacoby isn't quite so convincing to me on what such a view can offer at moments of great tragedy (her peg of course was Newtown).
Can Atheism Offer Comfort?|Michael Tomasky|January 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
On a peg just inside the door of the ranchman's old wine shed hung one of the horses' unused nosebags.
A-Birding on a Bronco|Florence A. Merriam
And I took a cake over to Peg, Grace was forced to interrupt to make known.
The Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong|Lillian Garis
He got the water-bottle hanging on the peg by the fireplace, and brought that to Pell also.
The Bad Man|Charles Hanson Towne
Then Peg moved up and sniffed critically at the trapped foot.
The Yellow Horde|Hal G. Evarts
"I think I am more likely to get it out of you," said Peg, coolly.
Jack's Ward|Horatio Alger, Jr.

British Dictionary definitions for peg

peg

/ (pɛɡ) /

noun

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 themSee also pin (def. 11)

Also called: clothes peg British a split or hinged pin for fastening wet clothes to a line to dryUS and Canadian equivalent: clothespin

informal a person's leg

Northern English dialect a tooth

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

an opportunity or pretext for doing somethinga 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 mainly British (of clothes) ready to wear, as opposed to tailor-made

verb pegs, pegging or pegged

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

(tr sometimes foll by down) to secure with pegsto peg a tent

mountaineering to insert or use pitons

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

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

(intr; foll by away, along, etc) mainly British to work steadilyhe pegged away at his job for years

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

Word Origin for peg

C15: from Low Germanic pegge

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for peg (1 of 2)

peg

mid-15c., from Middle Dutch pegge "peg," a common Low German word (cf. Low German pigge "peg," German Pegel "gauge rod, watermark," Middle Dutch pegel "little knob used as a mark," Dutch peil "gauge, watermark, standard"), of uncertain origin; perhaps from PIE *bak- "staff used as support" (see bacillus). To be a square peg in a round hole "be inappropriate for one's situation" is attested from 1836; to take someone down a peg is from 1580s, but the original literal sense is uncertain (most of the likely candidates are not attested until centuries later). Peg leg "wooden leg" attested from 1765.

Word Origin and History for peg (1 of 2)

peg

"fasten with or as if on a peg," 1590s, from peg (n.). Slang sense of "identify, classify" first recorded 1920. Related: Pegged; pegging.

Idioms and Phrases with peg

peg

In addition to the idiom beginning with peg

peg away at

also see:

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

peg

noun

verb (used with object), pegged, peg·ging.

verb (used without object), pegged, peg·ging.

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of peg

Definition for peg (2 of 2)

Peg

noun

Examples from the Web for peg

British Dictionary definitions for peg

peg

noun

verb pegs, pegging or pegged

Word Origin for peg

Word Origin and History for peg (1 of 2)

peg

Word Origin and History for peg (1 of 2)

peg

Idioms and Phrases with peg

peg