to identify, define, or fix something precisely
to make something exact and clear
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
to understand or state something exactly
"It's hard to pin down the exact reason he left."
It's hard to pin down exactly what it means to be British.
— Common public-discourse wording; exact source not reliably attributable
to force someone to make a definite decision or statement
"The reporters tried to pin the minister down on the budget figures."
to physically hold someone so they cannot move
"One player pinned the other down until help arrived."
to hold something down with a pin
to make something exact and clear
Very common in both everyday and professional English, especially for details, causes, dates, and meanings.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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