1
general::
pin sth on sb
( also hang sth on sb )
to blame someone for something, especially for something they did not do
• You can't pin the blame on her - she wasn't even there when the accident happened., pin sb down
[ M ] GET DETAILS
2. to make someone provide details about something or make a decision about something
• I've tried asking Stephanie, but she's proving difficult to pin down to a particular date., pin sb down
[ M ] SURROUND
1. to stop someone from escaping by surrounding them and shooting at them if they try to escape
• [ often passive ]: Government forces were pinned down by resistance fighters 30 miles north of the capital., pin sth down
[ M ]
to discover exact details about something
• We can't pin down where the leak came from.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
verb fasten sth with a pin ADV. carefully She carefully pinned the two pieces of cloth together. | firmly | back, on, together, up Her hair was pinned back. pictures pinned up on the walls PREP. onto The poster had been pinned onto a large wooden board. | to Maps were pinned to the walls. PHRASES pin sth in place hold sb in one position ADV. helplessly | down He was pinned down on the floor. PREP. against He pinned her against the wall. | behind His arms were pinned behind his back. | to She was pinned helplessly to the desk. PHRASAL VERBS pin sth down ADV. precisely The difference between the two approaches is hard to pin down precisely. VERB + PIN be difficult to, be hard to, noun ADJ. drawing, safety, tie | brass, bronze, diamond, metal, steel VERB + PIN drive in, stick in The map had a lot of little pins stuck into it. | remove
Oxford Collocations Dictionary