PEG

A small, pointed piece of wood, used in fastening boards together, in attaching the soles of boots or shoes, etc.; as, a shoe peg.

A wooden pin, or nail, on which to hang things, as coats, etc. Hence, colloquially and figuratively: A support; a reason; a pretext; as, a peg to hang a claim upon.

One of the pins of a musical instrument, on which the strings are strained. Shak.

One of the pins used for marking points on a cribbage board.

A step; a degree; esp. in the slang phrase "To take one down peg." To screw papal authority to the highest peg. Barrow. And took your grandess down a peg. Hudibras. Peg ladder, a ladder with but one standard, into which cross pieces are inserted. -- Peg tankard, an ancient tankard marked with pegs, so as divide the liquor into equal portions. "Drink down to your peg." Longfellow. -- Peg tooth. See Fleam tooth under Fleam. -- Peg top, a boy's top which is spun by throwing it. -- Screw peg, a small screw without a head, for fastening soles.

To put pegs into; to fasten the parts of with pegs; as, to peg shoes; to confine with pegs; to restrict or limit closely. I will rend an oak And peg thee in his knotty entrails. Shak.

To score with a peg, as points in the game; as, she pegged twelwe points. [Colloq.]

To work diligently, as one who pegs shoes; -- usually with on, at, or away; as, to peg away at a task.