to peg away
- phrasal verb
- UK
:
trabajar duro
- She decided to peg away at her studies until she passed the exam.
Examples
-
Oh dear, I wish I were only with you instead of having to peg away at so much outside work.
Academic text (1996) -
While I kite around among the cacti, my father pegs away at the chore of recuperation, and the indigo of the desert night draws down into my mother's pen.
Fiction book (1993) -
Despite facing many challenges, he continues to peg away at his project every day.
-
Even when it gets tough, I will peg away at my work until it's complete.
Synonyms
6
5.2
To work slowly and steadily on a difficult task
5
4.8
To work hard for a long time on something
5
3.7
To keep doing a job or task without stopping for a long time
5
6.7
To work hard for a long time on a task that is difficult or tiring
1
7.7
To work hard for a long time on a difficult task without stopping
1
6.4
To work hard and steadily for a long time
To work hard and continue when things are difficult
To keep working hard on a difficult or long task
Antonyms
How Persistent
Surface Forms
Morphology
peg + away
The particle 'away' signals continued or steady action, which gives learners a clue that the phrase involves ongoing effort. However, the literal senses of 'peg' (to fasten, to fix a price) do not transparently convey 'work persistently', so the specific phrasal meaning is not fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Peg away may come from the picture of someone hitting a small peg again and again to hold something in place, a slow, steady action. That's why it means 'to work steadily and persistently' at a hard or boring task.