pin down
phrasal verb·3 senses·particle down
Meanings
Hold someone in place by force
Why “down”? Something is pressed down and kept from rising again.
“They pinned him down on the floor.”
“Security pinned the man down.”
Get someone to commit to a clear answer or decision
Why “down”? Attention moves down to one exact point. A target is found, fixed, or specified.
“It's hard to pin him down on a date.”
“We pinned the supplier down on a price.”
Identify or define something exactly
“I can't quite pin down the smell.”
“She pinned down the cause of the error.”
“I can't pin down what's wrong.”
Don't confuse with
Pin down means hold someone in place by force. Pin back means listen very carefully.
Test yourself
“They pinned him down on the floor.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
pin back
A contrast learners often mix up
Listen very carefully (often 'pin your ears back')
bog down
Same down pattern: pressure
Slow or get stuck
bring down
Same down pattern: pressure
Cause something to fall or land; Make something lower in level or amount; Cause a government or leader to lose power; Make someone feel sad or depressed
clamp down
Same down pattern: pressure
Impose strict control
crack down
Same down pattern: pressure
Take strict action against bad behaviour
face down
Same down pattern: pressure
Confront a challenge or opponent directly
hold down
Same down pattern: pressure
Keep someone or something restrained
hunker down
Same down pattern: pressure
Take cover; settle in low
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