nail down
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle down
Meanings
Specify or fix precisely
Why “down”? Attention moves down to one exact point. A target is found, fixed, or specified.
“We need to nail down the date.”
“They nailed down the final price.”
Test yourself
“We need to nail down the date.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
hunt down
Same down pattern: exact point
Search for someone or something until you find them
pin down
Same down pattern: exact point
Hold someone in place by force; Get someone to commit to a clear answer or decision; Identify or define something exactly
track down
Same down pattern: exact point
Find someone or something after a difficult search
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “nail down” in Sink In
Drill “nail down” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
