# pin down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pin-down
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "We need to pin down on a date." but "We need to pin down a date." — The verb is transitive and does not require the preposition 'on' when identifying a specific detail.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.