pin down
Third Person
pins down
Present Participle
pinning down
Past Tense
pinned down
Past Participle
pinned down
1
to secure something in place using pins or similar objects
transitive
- The curtains flutter in the wind if they aren't pinned down.
- She twisted her hair and pinned it down for the evening.
- For the play, they pinned the backdrop down to ensure it stayed upright.
- She used thumbtacks to pin down the corners of the poster.
- The tailor will pin down the fabric before sewing it together.
Synonyms:
2
to restrict someone or something, limiting their freedom or options
transitive
- The bad weather conditions pinned down the team at the base camp.
- The strict rules pin down creativity and innovation.
- The police were able to pin the suspect down in a nearby alley after a brief chase.
- The mountain climber found himself pinned down by a snowstorm, unable to descend the peak.
- The negotiation tactics successfully pinned the opposing team down, leaving them with few options.
3
to clarify a particular detail or aspect after precise investigation
transitive
- We've run multiple tests, but we still can't pin down the origin of the issue.
- Through careful research, she pinned the inconsistencies down in his testimony.
- The historian spent years pinning down the facts of that ancient event.
- It took years of research to pin down the cause of the disease.
- The flavor of this dish is unique and difficult to pin down.
4
to pressure someone into being clear, decisive, and specific in their actions or responses
transitive
- The journalist tried to pin down the politician on the controversial issue.
- During the negotiation, the other party tried to avoid committing to a price, but we were persistent in pinning them down to a specific figure.
- The reporter skillfully pinned down the elusive celebrity for a straightforward answer about the upcoming movie.
- In the meeting, they managed to pin down the project manager on a concrete timeline for completion.
- It can be challenging to pin down your teenager when they're being evasive about their plans for the evening.
Synonyms:
5
to determine the exact location of someone or something
transitive
- The detectives were trying to pin down the suspect's whereabouts on the night of the crime.
- After hours of searching, they finally managed to pin the lost hiker down to a specific area in the forest.
- The meteorologist tried to pin down the path of the approaching storm.
- It took days to pin down the source of the mysterious signals from space.
6
to hold an enemy force in a specific location, making it difficult for them to move or escape by firing at them
transitive
- The soldiers managed to pin the enemy troops down in the forest.
- The enemy forces used heavy artillery to pin down the advancing troops, preventing them from moving forward.
- The squad's precise gunfire was essential to pin down the insurgents, allowing the rest of the team to secure the area.
- During the battle, our forces managed to pin down the opposition in a narrow valley, making it challenging for them to retreat.