Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small cylindrical pin or dowel: A "peg" is a short, usually wooden or plastic pin used to fasten things together, hang items, or mark positions.
   • A hook or knob for hanging things: It can refer to a projecting piece, often on a wall, from which clothes or hats are hung.
   • A prosthesis for a missing leg: (Informal) A "peg" can be a term for an artificial leg.
   • A leg: (Informal, often plural: "pegs") A colloquial term for a human leg.
   • A marker in a game: A small object, like a pin, used to mark a score or position on a board.
   • A device for tightening or loosening strings: On a stringed instrument, a "peg" is a knob turned to adjust the tension and pitch of a string.

2. Verb:

   • To fasten or secure with a peg: The action of using a peg to attach or hold something in place.
   • To fix or stabilize a price or rate: To keep the value of something, like a currency, at a set level relative to another.
   • To classify or identify someone: (Informal) To categorize or label a person in a specific way.
   • To work persistently: To continue doing something with steady effort.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She hung her coat on the peg by the door.
  • He tightened the guitar string by turning the peg.
  • The map had colored pegs to mark the visited cities.
  • (Informal) After the hike, my tired pegs needed a rest.

• Verb:

  • They pegged the tent ropes to the ground.
  • The central bank pegged the local currency to the euro.
  • His friends pegged him as a future leader.
  • She pegged away at her thesis for months.

Advanced Usage

• "a peg to hang something on": A reason, excuse, or premise used to justify or support something.

  • The scandal gave the opposition a peg to hang their criticism on.

• "to take someone down a peg (or two)": To humble or deflate someone who is being arrogant.

  • His defeat in the debate really took him down a peg.

• "a square peg in a round hole": A person who is unsuited to their position or environment.

  • He felt like a square peg in a round hole at the corporate law firm.

Variants and Related Words

• Clothes peg (UK) / Clothespin (US) (n): A small clip used to fasten laundry to a line.
• Pegboard (n): A board with holes for pegs, used for organizing tools or displaying items.
• Peg leg (n): A wooden artificial leg (historical/informal).

Synonyms

• Noun: Pin, dowel, hook, knob, stake.
• Verb: Fasten, secure, fix, stabilize, classify, plug away (at).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Peg away (at something): To work hard and steadily at a task.

  • He's been pegging away at that report all week.

• Peg out: (Informal, chiefly British)

  • To mark a boundary with pegs.

    • They pegged out the area for the new garden.
  • To die or collapse from exhaustion.

    • (Informal) After the marathon, I just pegged out on the sofa.

Related Idioms

• Off the peg (UK) / Off the rack (US): Referring to clothes that are ready-made, not tailor-made.

  • He bought his suit off the peg.

• On the peg: (Military slang, historical) To be up for disciplinary action.

  • The soldier was put on the peg for being late.

Noun

1. a holder attached to the gunwale of a boat that holds the oar in place and acts as a fulcrum for rowing
2. regulator that can be turned to regulate the pitch of the strings of a stringed instrument
3. a prosthesis that replaces a missing leg
4. informal terms for the leg
   • fever left him weak on his sticks
5. small markers inserted into a surface to mark scores or define locations etc.
6. a wooden pin pushed or driven into a surface

Verb

1. stabilize (the price of a commodity or an exchange rate) by legislation or market operations
   • The weak currency was pegged to the US Dollar
2. fasten or secure with a wooden pin
   • peg a tent
3. pierce with a wooden pin or knock or thrust a wooden pin into
4. succeed in obtaining a position
   • He nailed down a spot at Harvard