peg

[ peg ]

/ pɛg /

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

peevers, peevish, peevishly, peewee, peewit, pegs, peg away at, peg climbing, peg down, peg leg, peg out

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 pegs (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 pegs

Meanwhile, Ohio went for Obama twice, and the same Quinnipiac Poll also pegs Clinton ahead of all Republican challengers.
Republicans Better Mind the Modernity Gap To Catch Up to Clinton|Lloyd Green|March 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bruce Bartlett, citing the Congressional Budget Office, pegs the cost of the cuts at about $2.8 trillion from 2001 to 2010.
If the Congressional Supercommittee Fails, Who Wins?|Michael Tomasky|November 19, 2011|DAILY BEAST
These pegs must then be fixed knob downwards on to the base.
Toy-Making at Home|Morley Adams
This rack consists of a small square frame, having rows of pegs inserted along the ends and sides of it.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, July, 1851|Various

Emily went up to the attic and looked at the belongings of Juliet, which lay on the table and hung on pegs.
Littlebourne Lock|F. Bayford Harrison
When the soil is so loose that the pegs will not hold at all, fasten the guy ropes to brush, wood or rocks buried in the ground.
Manual of Military Training|James A. Moss
Then unpack the tent and fit the pegs of the two upright poles through the two holes in the ridge pole.
Outdoor Sports and Games|Claude H. Miller

British Dictionary definitions for pegs

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 pegs (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 pegs (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 pegs

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 pegs (2 of 2)

Peg

noun

Examples from the Web for pegs

British Dictionary definitions for pegs

peg

noun

verb pegs, pegging or pegged

Word Origin for peg

Word Origin and History for pegs (1 of 2)

peg

Word Origin and History for pegs (1 of 2)

peg

Idioms and Phrases with pegs

peg