# peg

/ˈpɛɡ/ (US) · /pˈɛɡ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/peg
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a fastener or hanger

noun · CEFR A2

a small piece of wood, metal, or plastic used to fasten things together or to hang clothes on.

For teachers: a cylindrical or tapered pin used to fasten separate items or to serve as a support for hanging garments.

- He hung his heavy winter coat on the wooden peg behind the door.
- The carpenter used small oak pegs instead of nails to join the furniture pieces, ensuring a traditional and durable finish.

### 2. fixed exchange rate

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a fixed level for a country's currency compared to another currency, like the dollar.

For teachers: a fixed exchange rate policy where a currency's value is tied to another currency or a basket of currencies.

- The country maintained a currency peg to the dollar to keep prices stable.
- Economists debated whether the central bank could sustain the currency peg in the face of rising inflation and dwindling foreign reserves.

### 3. musical instrument part

noun · CEFR B2

the small pins on a guitar or violin that you turn to tighten the strings.

For teachers: a pin in the headstock of a stringed instrument that is turned to adjust the tension of the strings.

- She turned the tuning peg slowly until the violin string was in tune.
- The luthier replaced the worn ebony pegs to ensure the cello would hold its pitch during long performances.

### 5. to fix a value

verb · CEFR B2

to fix a price, speed, or value at a certain level.

For teachers: to fix or stabilize a price, exchange rate, or other value at a specific level.

- The company decided to peg the price of the new phone at five hundred dollars.
- The government attempted to peg the price of basic commodities to prevent social unrest during the economic crisis.

### 6. to identify or classify

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to identify someone's personality or role correctly.

For teachers: to identify, categorize, or form a definitive opinion about someone's character or motives.

- I had him pegged as a quiet person, but he was actually very talkative.
- The detective had pegged the suspect as a professional thief long before the forensic evidence arrived from the lab.

### 7. sexual activity

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to have a specific type of sex using a dildo.

For teachers: to engage in anal penetration of a partner using a strap-on dildo.

- They discussed their sexual preferences and mentioned pegging.
- The article explored how pegging has become a more widely discussed topic in modern conversations about sexual health and identity.

### 8. to throw something

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to throw something, like a ball, very hard at someone or something.

For teachers: to throw an object, typically a ball, with force at a target.

- The kids were pegging snowballs at each other in the park.
- The outfielder managed to peg the ball to home plate just in time to stop the runner from scoring.

## Examples

- She used a wooden peg to hang the wet towel on the line.
- The carpenter hammered a small peg into the joint to ensure the chair leg remained stable.
- In the absence of modern fasteners, the ancient timber frame was held together entirely by hand-carved oak pegs that tightened as the wood seasoned over time.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.