pin down
Britishverb
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to force (someone) to make a decision or carry out a promise
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to define clearly
he had a vague suspicion that he couldn't quite pin down
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to confine to a place
the fallen tree pinned him down
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Fix or establish clearly, as in The firefighters finally were able to pin down the source of the odor . [Mid-1900s]
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Force someone to give precise information or opinions, as in The reporter pinned down the governor on the issue of conservation measures . [c. 1700]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Not only have we been able to clear the view, but we can finally pin down what the clouds are made out of and how they're condensing and evaporating as they move around the planet."
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
That view has changed, but the explanation for what’s actually transpiring in the patient’s neurobiology has been hard to pin down.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
It's hard to pin down that mystery ingredient.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Overseas clients are afraid to place orders, while Chinese manufacturers cannot pin down changing costs.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Just like Jupe, she’s hard to pin down.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
