# pin down

Pronunciation: say "pin-DOWN" /ˌpɪn ˈdaʊn/

## Phrasal verb

1. To identify something clearly or specifically, such as a decision, a plan, or exactly what is wrong.
   - Simple: To work out or say exactly what something is, like a plan or a problem.
   - _Something about the offer bothered her, though she couldn't quite pin it down._
   - _The team still needs to pin down a launch date before the announcement goes out._
2. To corner someone, leaving them no way to dodge, in order to get a firm answer from them.
   - Simple: To keep pushing someone until they give you a clear, firm answer.
   - _Reporters spent the week trying to pin the senator down on whether she would run again._
   - _The buyer finally pinned the contractor down on a completion date._
3. In wrestling, to hold an opponent on their back so that both shoulders touch the mat or ground.
   - Simple: In wrestling, to hold someone flat on their back with both shoulders on the mat or ground.
   - _To win by a fall, you have to pin your opponent down until the referee slaps the mat._
   - _The champion pinned his challenger down in under a minute, both shoulders flat against the canvas._
4. To fasten something with pins, or to hold it firmly in place with them.
   - Simple: To use pins to attach something or hold it firmly in place.
   - _Pin the map down at each corner so it lies flat against the corkboard._
   - _Before cutting, the tailor pinned down the paper pattern along every edge of the fabric._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/pin-down (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).