pin down
[verb]
Synonyms:
- force, compel, constrain, make, press, pressurize
- determine, identify, locate, name, pinpoint, specify

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

pin somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb (see also pin)

1. to make someone give clear details or make a definite decision about something
pin somebody/something ↔ down to
Did you manage to pin him down to a definite date?
He’s impossible to pin down.

2. to understand something clearly or be able to describe it exactly
hard/difficult to pin down
The flavour was hard to pin down.

3. if soldiers etc involved in fighting are pinned down, they cannot move from their position because someone is shooting at them:
The rebels have been pinned down in a camp to the south of the river.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

pin down
pin down (someone)
1.
to keep someone from being able to escape by shooting at them.
For a time, the crew was pinned down by machine-gun fire.

2.
to get specific information from someone.
It is not easy to pin down a politician who won't even tell you if it's raining or snowing!

We tried to pin him down on where the money would come from.

3.
to hold someone by force so that they cannot move.
Burns usually pinned down and then handcuffed his victims.

I was pinned down by a wall that had fallen.

Usage notes: when the object is a pronoun, it always follows pin:
Don't pin me down about my plans.

pin down (something)
to discover the facts or exact details about something.
The fire department is trying to pin down the cause of Wednesday's fire.

So far we haven't pinned down a date.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

pin down something
pin down (something)
to discover the facts or exact details about something.
The fire department is trying to pin down the cause of Wednesday's fire.

So far we haven't pinned down a date.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

pin down
1. to keep someone from moving, to make someone stay in a place or position
The wrestler won the match after he pinned his opponent down for almost a minute.

2. to make someone tell the truth or make a commitment
I could not pin my friend down as to exactly when he would pay back the money that he owed me.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

pin down
v.
1a. To keep (someone) from moving; make stay in a place or position; trap.
Mr. Jones' leg was pinned down under the car after the accident.
The soldier was pinned down in the hole because rifle bullets were flying over his head.
1b. To keep (someone) from changing what (he) says or means; make (someone) admit the truth; make (someone) agree to something.
Mary didn't like the book but I couldn't pin her down to say what she didn't like about it.
I tried to pin Bob down to fix my bicycle tomorrow, but he wouldn't say that he could.
2. To tell clearly and exactly; explain so that there is no doubt.
The police tried to pin down the blame for the fire in the school.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

pin someone down
1. to keep someone from moving, to make someone stay in a place or position
The wrestler won the match after he pinned his opponent down for almost a minute.

2. to make someone tell the truth or make a commitment
I could not pin my friend down as to exactly when he would pay back the money that he owed me.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

pin down someone
pin down (someone)
1.
to keep someone from being able to escape by shooting at them.
For a time, the crew was pinned down by machine-gun fire.

2.
to get specific information from someone.
It is not easy to pin down a politician who won't even tell you if it's raining or snowing!

We tried to pin him down on where the money would come from.

3.
to hold someone by force so that they cannot move.
Burns usually pinned down and then handcuffed his victims.

I was pinned down by a wall that had fallen.

Usage notes: when the object is a pronoun, it always follows pin:
Don't pin me down about my plans.

pin down (something)
to discover the facts or exact details about something.
The fire department is trying to pin down the cause of Wednesday's fire.

So far we haven't pinned down a date.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲