pin down
verb
Simple meaning
To identify something clearly or.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
pindownSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈpɪnˈdaʊn
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
idiomatic
To identify something (e.g. a decision or plan) clearly or specifically.
idiomatic
To corner somebody in order to get a firm answer.
Attach with or as if with a pin
To attach or secure with pins.
wrestling
To hold the opponent back-first so both his or her shoulders touch the mat or ground.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To identify something (e.g. a decision or plan) clearly or specifically.
Used this way, pin down is a reasonably familiar word with a clearly warm, approving pull. It quietly approves while staying precise.
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Clear and precise
- Usage feel
- Precise and approving
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.