English Reference
Idiom idiom

take down a peg


Synonym of take down a notch.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

His arrogance needs to be taken down a peg.

CONTEXTUAL

The boss took him down a peg after he bragged about his performance during the meeting.

COMPLEX

After years of unchallenged success, the sudden failure of his project finally took him down a peg and forced him to reconsider his methods.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be taken ill

    To become ill.

  2. 02

    cross to take up

    Alternative form of cross to bear.

  3. 03

    forget to take one's medication this morning

    To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.

  4. 04

    get taken in

    To be fooled; to fall for.

  5. 05

    give and take

    A process of compromise or accommodation.

  6. 06

    give someone an inch and someone will take a mile

    Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

  7. 07

    have one's name taken

    To receive a yellow card.

  8. 08

    I take it

    Used to express one's understanding of another's position.

Last updated August 10, 2026