level-pegging, vbl. n. (passing into adv.)
(level stress.)
[Cf. pegging vbl. n.]
On equal terms (competitively), neck-and-neck, neither falling behind nor getting ahead (used of two individuals, groups, etc.). Also (as a back-formation) level-peg v.
| 1927 W. E. Collinson Contemp. Eng. 30 Cribbage is scored with pegs on a triangular board with two rows of holes on each side and supplied us with the technical expressions: level pegging or neck and neck (from the racecourse), [etc.]. 1959 Motor 16 Dec. 704/1 Two competitors..[one of which] lost one less mark than [the other] on the fourth section which was the first section on which they were not level pegging. 1962 Listener 13 Dec. 1027/2 The sociologist is level-pegging with the psychologist to replace the priest in the cure-of-souls business. 1965 Observer (Colour Suppl.) 28 Mar. 16 While air and sea were roughly level-pegging at a million passengers each in 1958, last year's split was 3·5 million to the airlines and 714,000 to the sea. 1973 J. Wainwright Touch of Malice 155 They were level-pegging—in rank, in age and in service. 1974 Listener 21 Feb. 244/2 ITV first made the running in the coverage of election news... Initiative reverting to the BBC? Let's call it level pegging. |