peg the needle
To achieve the maximum level of something, to max out, to pull out all the stops.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The engine noise was so loud it pegged the needle.”
“When the band started playing their final song, the energy in the room pegged the needle.”
“As the pilot pushed the aircraft to its absolute structural limits, the pressure gauge pegged the needle, signaling an immediate need to reduce speed.”
- 01
camel through the eye of a needle
Hyperbole to illustrate something that is impossible to do or to make happen.
- 02
knock down a peg
Synonym of take down a notch.
- 03
move the needle
To change a situation to a noticeable degree; to make an appreciable difference.
- 04
needle drop
A digital copy of a vinyl record
- 05
needle in a haystack
Something that is difficult or impossible to locate.
- 06
needle mover
A factor which noticeably influences a performance.
- 07
peg down
To identify clearly.
- 08
square peg in a round hole
Someone or something that does not fit well or at all in a certain setting; a misfit; hence, someone or something that will not succeed in an endeavour, except possibly with much effort and force.
Last updated August 10, 2026