take down a peg
Reduce someone's arrogance
To take someone down a peg is to humble them or reduce their sense of self-importance, usually by criticism, defeat, or exposure of their shortcomings.
The expression suggests someone who has risen too high on a scale of status or ego and needs to be lowered.
After bragging about his skills all week, losing the match took him down a peg.
The fuller form is take down a peg or two, and variants include knock down a peg and bring down a peg.
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
- eat humble pieAdmit error humbly
- eat crowAcknowledge embarrassing error
- degradeLower in standing
- humiliateCause painful shame
put in one's place · bring low · abase · reduce · puncture · demean · chide · stature · comeuppance · depreciate · rebuke · lower · modesty · shame · hierarchy · rank · prestige · defeat
take down a pegbuild up
Grow by increments
puff up · put on a pedestal · boost · uplift · elevate
take down a pegpraise
Expression of approval
laud · commend · compliment · extol · sing the praises of
take, takes, taken, taking, taker, down, downs, downed, downing