peg

/pɛɡ/
noun
  1. A small, usually cylindrical piece of wood, metal, or plastic used to fasten things, hang things on, or mark a position.
    • The tent pegs held the fabric firmly to the ground.
    • He used a peg to mark his spot on the map.
    • She hung her coat on a wooden peg by the door.
  2. A clothespin.
    • He bought a bag of wooden pegs for the laundry.
    • The wind blew several pegs off the clothesline.
    • She clipped the wet shirt to the line with a plastic peg.
  3. A level or degree, often used in phrases like 'take down a peg'.
    • The loss took the team down a peg in the rankings.
    • She needed to be brought down a peg after her boastful speech.
    • His arrogance made everyone want to take him down a peg.
  4. A drink, especially of whiskey or other spirits.
    • They each had a peg of brandy to warm up.
    • He poured himself a peg of whiskey after work.
    • She ordered a small peg of rum with her cola.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To fasten, attach, or mark with a peg or pegs.
    • They pegged the map to the wall with thumbtacks.
    • He pegged the tent securely into the ground.
    • She pegged the wet clothes to the line.
  2. To fix or set (a price, value, or rate) at a particular level.
    • The government pegged the price of bread to control inflation.
    • They pegged the exchange rate to the dollar.
    • The company pegged the salary increase to the cost of living.
  3. To identify or categorize someone or something in a particular way.
    • The critics pegged the movie as a box office flop.
    • I pegged him as a troublemaker from the start.
    • She pegged the problem as a software glitch.
  4. To throw (a ball) forcefully, especially in baseball.
    • She pegged the ball straight to the catcher.
    • He pegged the runner out at second base.
    • The outfielder pegged the ball to home plate.