The term 'take down a peg' is an idiom which means to HUMILIATE or HUMBLE someone. This can be done in various ways, such as abasing, chastening, demoting, humbling, demeaning, or deflating someone. Abasing means to lower someone's dignity or self-respect, while chastening means to discipline or punish someone. Demoting someone means to reduce their rank or status, while humbling someone means to make them feel inferior or unworthy. Demeaning someone means to belittle or degrade them, and deflating someone means to reduce their pride or self-confidence. All of these actions are ways to take someone down a peg.