peg

1 of 4

noun

ˈpeg 

1

a

: a small usually cylindrical pointed or tapered piece (as of wood) used to pin down or fasten things or to fit into or close holes : pin, plug

b

British : clothespin

c

: a predetermined level at which something (such as a price) is fixed

2

a

: a projecting piece used as a support or boundary marker

b

: something (such as a fact or issue) used as a support, pretext, or reason

a news peg for the story

3

a

: one of the movable wooden pegs set in the head of a stringed instrument (such as a violin) that are turned to regulate the pitch of the strings see violin illustration

b

: a step or degree especially in estimation

4

: a pointed prong or claw for catching or tearing

5

British : drink

poured himself out a stiff peg

—Dorothy Sayers

6

: something (such as a leg) resembling a peg

7

: throw

especially : a hard throw in baseball made in an attempt to put out a base runner

peg

2 of 4

verb

pegged; pegging

transitive verb

1

a

: to put a peg into

b

British : to pin (laundry) on a clothesline

2

: to attach or fix as if with a peg: such as

a

: to pin down : restrict

b

: to fix or hold (something, such as prices or wage increases) at a predetermined level or rate

c

: to place in a definite category : identify

was pegged as an intellectual

3

: to mark by pegs

4

: throw

intransitive verb

1

: to work steadily and diligently

—often used with away

2

: to move along vigorously or hastily : hustle

peg

3 of 4

adjective

variants or pegged

: wide at the top and narrow at the bottom

peg pants

PEG

4 of 4

abbreviation

polyethylene glycol

Synonyms

Noun

• chapter
• cut
• degree
• grade
• inch
• notch
• phase
• place
• point
• stage
• step

Verb

• assort
• break down
• categorize
• class
• classify
• codify
• compartment
• compartmentalize
• digest
• distinguish
• distribute
• grade
• group
• place
• range
• rank
• relegate
• separate
• sort
• type

Examples of peg in a Sentence

Noun

Her coat hung on a peg by the door.

took the arrogant student down a peg

Verb

Is the tent pegged down all the way?

peg the price of wheat at its current level

His bonus is pegged to how many sales he makes each year for the company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Others, too, initially saw DeSantis as the one to knock down a peg. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024

The Pelicans were expected to be contenders in the West this season but injuries have fully knocked them down a peg. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024

Verb

Instead, investors peg the chances of a rate cut next week at an overwhelming 98%, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2024

Collaboration gets pegged as: a waste of time (pulls people away from focused, individual work) a way to get slow people up to speed at the expense of fast people fluffy and touchy-feely The brain science tells a different story. —Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

Adjective

The shape of those peg-like teeth at the front of its mouth tell us that A. unicus was vegan — the oldest such marine reptile known. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 6 May 2016

The most controversial were the inclusion of single-unders and double-under crossovers which appeared during Event 3 alongside strict peg-board climbs. —Gabrielle Kassel, Men's Health, 8 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pegge, probably from Middle Dutch

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1543, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

1681, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing peg

• a peg to hang (something) on
• a square peg in a round hole
• clothes-peg
• mumble peg
• mumble-the-peg
• mumblety-peg
• off-the-peg
• peg away
• peg leg
• peg out
• peg top
• peg-topped
• take/knock/bring someone down a peg
• tent peg
• tuning peg

Kids Definition

peg

1 of 2 noun

ˈpeg 

1

a

: a small usually cylindrical pointed piece (as of wood) used to pin down or fasten things or to fit into or close holes

a tent peg

b

: a tapered wooden piece in a musical instrument (as a violin) that is turned to tighten or loosen a string to adjust pitch

2

: a piece that sticks out and is used as a support or boundary marker

3

: step entry 1 sense 5, degree

take someone down a peg

4

: throw entry 2 sense 1

a quick peg to first base

peg

2 of 2 verb

pegged; pegging

1

a

: to fasten or mark with pegs

b

: to fix or hold (as prices) at a level or rate of increase

2

: to place in a class or group

3

: throw entry 1 sense 1a

4

: to work steadily and diligently

Medical Definition

PEG

abbreviation

1

percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

2

polyethylene glycol