pin down

British  

verb

1. to force (someone) to make a decision or carry out a promise

2. to define clearly

   he had a vague suspicion that he couldn't quite pin down

3. to confine to a place

   the fallen tree pinned him down

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pin down Idioms  

1. Fix or establish clearly, as in The firefighters finally were able to pin down the source of the odor . [Mid-1900s]

2. Force someone to give precise information or opinions, as in The reporter pinned down the governor on the issue of conservation measures . [c. 1700]

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Example Sentences

And while the concept for the memorial is still germinating, Nina has already pinned down the title.

From BBC

As genre names go, “post-punk” is particularly hard to pin down, but it’s generally used to describe an array of underground rock forms that emerged in the late ’70s, mostly in the U.K.

From The Wall Street Journal

That rate is extremely difficult to pin down.

From MarketWatch

It was the right strategic move, helping the Soviets pin down Nazi divisions in the east while the Brits and Americans devised a plan of attack in the west.

From The Wall Street Journal

To pin down these elusive signatures, the researchers relied on advanced polarized neutron scattering.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• cause
• charge
• compel
• demand
• drag
• drive
• impose
• inflict
• limit
• make
• move
• oblige
• order
• press
• pressure
• require
• restrict
• urge