pin down
US
UK pin [sb] down vtr + adv: (hold on the ground)
SC 使…动弹不得
The police officer wrestled the thief to the ground and pinned him down until backup arrived.
警察把小偷摔倒在地，压制住他，等待后援到来。
pin [sb] down vtr phrasal sep: figurative, informal (force to a decision, statement) (非正式用语)
SC 迫使某人明确表态 pǎi shǐ mǒu rén míng què biǎo tài
SC 迫使某人做（决定）
The reporters asked again and again whether he favored the bill, but they couldn't pin him down.
记者们一遍又一遍地询问他是否赞成这项法案，但他们还是无法让他明确表态。
pin [sb] down on [sth] vtr phrasal 3-part: figurative, informal (force to a decision, statement) (非正式用语)
SC 迫使…就…明确表态
SC 迫使…就…作出决定
The interviewer struggled to pin the Prime Minister down on whether she planned to raise taxes.
记者竭尽全力让首相表态是否计划增税。
pin [sth] down vtr phrasal sep: figurative, informal, often passive (locate, identify) (非正式用语)
SC 确定 què dìng
TC 確定
TC 確定
SC 搞清楚 què dìng，gǎo qīng chǔ
There is a strange noise coming from somewhere in the room but I can't pin down the exact location.
The exact time of Julia's disappearance cannot be pinned down.
房间某处有一种奇怪的声音，但我无法找到确切的位置。//我们无法确定茱莉亚失踪的确切时间。