Phrasal verb
pin down
Definition
phrasal verb. To identify something exactly or to make someone give a clear answer. You use this when a detail is hard to find or when someone is not being clear.
phrasal verb. To identify or define something with precision, or to force a person to make a clear commitment. Transitive and optionally separable.
Examples
“We need to pin down a date for the next meeting.”
“It took several hours of questioning, but the police finally managed to pin down the suspect's exact location during the crime.”
“The philosopher's arguments are notoriously difficult to pin down, as he frequently employs ambiguous terminology and contradictory metaphors throughout his later works.”
Examples
simple
“We need to pin down a date for the next meeting.”
contextual
“It took several hours of questioning, but the police finally managed to pin down the suspect's exact location during the crime.”
complex
“The philosopher's arguments are notoriously difficult to pin down, as he frequently employs ambiguous terminology and contradictory metaphors throughout his later works.”
Usage
Usually takes an abstract noun like 'cause', 'date', or 'reason' as an object.
Teaching tip
Use the physical image of pinning a paper to a board to help students understand the idea of making a fact 'stay still' so it can be identified.
Pitfall
We need to pin down on a date.
We need to pin down a date.
The verb is transitive and does not require the preposition 'on' when identifying a specific detail.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down
Separability
optional
Pattern
pin + down + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
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