nail down

British  

verb

1. to fasten down with or as if with nails

2. informal to extort a definite promise or consent from

   I nailed him down on the deadline

3. informal to settle in a definite way

   they nailed down the agreement

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nail down Idioms  

1. Establish conclusively, as in The reporter nailed down the story by checking all the facts. This metaphoric expression alludes to fixing or fastening something down with nails. [c. 1600]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nail down

They have a fair amount of experience in various batting positions, although neither has been consistent to nail down a place.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

The album’s closer, “Driftin’ Cowboy,” will nail down this collection for some as outright folk.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026

When Rupert’s children watched its too-close-for-comfort version of the chaos following Logan Roy’s sudden death, they leapt to nail down their family’s succession plan before it was too late.

From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2026

EU-Swiss ties are currently governed by a patchwork of agreements, and the two have for years been striving to nail down a broader cooperation agreement.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

He ran a nail down the heavy cartridge backing and stripped it away to reveal...

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer