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pin down

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: pindown

English

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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pin down (third-person singular simple present pins down, present participle pinning down, simple past and past participle pinned down) (transitive)

  1. To attach or secure with pins.
    Coordinate terms: pin up, tack up
    Pin down the tablecloth, so it doesn't blow away in the breeze.
    • 1955 March, “Modernisation and Re-Equipment of British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, pages 154, 171:
      There are approximately 1,000 places on British Railways where wagon brakes must be pinned down before trains proceed over severe falling gradients; the trains have to be brought to a stand for the brakes to be pinned down, and subsequently have again to be stopped for the brakes to be released.
  2. (idiomatic) To identify something (e.g. a decision or plan) clearly or specifically.
    Something is wrong, but I can't pin it down.
  3. (wrestling) To hold the opponent back-first so both his or her shoulders touch the mat or ground.
    Synonym: pin
  4. (idiomatic) To corner somebody in order to get a firm answer.
    Let's try to pin him down on a price.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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