peg

UK: /ˈpɛg/ US: /pɛg/ ,(peg)

Inflections of 'peg' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

pegs

v 3rd person singular

pegging

v pres p

pegged

v past

pegged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

peg /pɛg/   n., v., pegged, peg•ging, adj. 
n. [countable]

1. Building a shaped pin of wood, metal, etc., driven into something as a fastening, support, stopper, etc.:
   hung his coat on the peg by the door.
2. a notch, level, or degree:
   to come down a peg.
3. Informal Terms a hard throw, esp. as to a base in baseball:
   His peg to the plate beat the runner trying to score.
4. British Terms clothespin.

v. 

5. Building to fasten with or as if with pegs: [~ (+ down ) + object]
   worked quickly to peg down the canopy.
   [~ + object (+ down ) ]
   quickly pegged it down.
6. to keep (a price, etc.) at a set level:
   [~ + object] The dollar was no longer pegged to the British pound.
7. Informal Terms to throw (a ball) forcefully:
   [~ + object] pegged the ball to second base.
8. Informal Terms to identify;
   label;
   classify:
   [~ + object + as + object] She pegged him as a loser.
9. peg away, [no object] to work continuously or for a long time at something:
   pegging away at his homework.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

peg  (peg), n., v., pegged, peg•ging, adj. 
n. 

1. Building 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 Terms 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 and Dance Also called pin. 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 Terms a throw, esp. in baseball:
   The peg to the plate was late.
7. Journalism See news peg. 
8. Economics, Business the level at which some price, exchange rate, etc., is set.
9. British Terms an alcoholic drink, esp. a whiskey or brandy and soda.
10. British Terms clothespin.
11. Idioms take down a peg, to reduce the pride or arrogance of;
    humble:
    I guess that'll take him down a peg!

v.t. 

12. Building to drive or insert a peg into.
13. Building to fasten with or as with pegs.
14. to mark with pegs.
15. to strike or pierce with or as with a peg.
16. to keep (the commodity price, exchange rate, etc.) at a set level, as by manipulation or law.
17. Informal Terms to throw (a ball).
18. Journalism to base (an article, feature story, etc.) upon;
    justify by (usually fol. by on):
    The feature on the chief of police was pegged on the riots.
19. Informal Terms to identify:
    to peg someone as a good prospect.

v.i. 

20. to work or continue persistently or energetically:
    to peg away at a homework assignment.
21. Informal Terms to throw a ball.
22. Sport [Croquet.] to strike a peg, as in completing a game.

adj. 

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

• Middle Dutch
• late Middle English pegge (noun, nominal), peggen (verb, verbal) 1400–50

peg′less, adj. 
peg′like′, adj. 

Peg  (peg), n. 

1. a female given name, form of Peggy. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

peg / 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. 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 pin11
4. Also called: clothes peg a split or hinged pin for fastening wet clothes to a line to dry
   US and Canadian equivalent: clothespin
5. a small drink of wine or spirits, esp of brandy or whisky and soda
6. an opportunity or pretext for doing something: a peg on which to hang a theory
7. a level of self-esteem, importance, etc (esp in the phrases bringortake down a peg)
8. 
   See peg leg
9. off the peg ⇒ (of clothes) ready to wear, as opposed to tailor-made

verb (pegs, pegging, pegged)

1. (transitive) to knock or insert a peg into or pierce with a peg
2. (transitive) sometimes followed by down: to secure with pegs: to peg a tent
3. (transitive) to mark (a score) with pegs, as in some card games
4. (transitive) to aim and throw (missiles) at a target
5. (intr; followed by away, along, etc) to work steadily: he pegged away at his job for years
6. (transitive) to stabilize (the price of a commodity, an exchange rate, etc) by legislation or market operations

Etymology: 15th Century: from Low Germanic pegge