to nail
78
6.0
- verb
- /neɪl/
:
identificar
- Sue, even if this thing is for real, it could take you weeks to nail him down.
And and those things aren't nailed by an acuity chart.
- And and those things aren't nailed by an acuity chart.
- Not trying to nail something down before I'm done.
- It's like it's the proverbial trying to nail jello to a wall trying to understand theme.
- That was kind of where I was trying to just nail down.
- I think we'll never be able to nail it completely.
Examples
-
To survive, the division had to slash costs and nail down deals with other automakers.
Academic text (2004) -
Quilter hopes to nail down dates for the artifacts more accurately within the site's 150-year occupation.
Academic text (2011) -
Yeah, I just wanted to nail the point home more and more.
-
But I really need to nail the grant proposal.
-
Okay, let's nail it this time.
-
If neither resource helps you nail down the identification, you could be out of luck.
Academic text (1996) -
With Mitch's help on the distribution system, I'm close to nailing down the case against Pratt.
Fiction book (1992) -
Emma had gone online and nailed the whereabouts of the woman who'd bolted to Florida with Jessie.
Fiction book (1999) -
We need to nail down the details of the project before we proceed.
-
The detectives worked hard to nail down the timeline of the events.
Synonyms
123
4.0
To find the exact place or cause of something
20
3.5
To make something exact, like a date or reason
20
4.6
Decide the exact details of a plan or agreement
Antonyms
Idioms
People criticize and pressure those who stand out to be like everyone else
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
40
1.8
A colored or clear paint you put on fingernails and toenails to give them color and shine
- Informal
7
5.2
A situation that makes people very nervous because the result is uncertain
- Informal
3
4.2
Making you feel very nervous and excited while you wait to see what happens
- UK
1
2.7
A colored or clear liquid you put on nails to make them look shiny and protect them
- Specialized
1
6.4
A nail about three inches long used for holding pieces of wood together
- Specialized
A small metal pin about one and a half inches long that holds pieces of wood together
- Offensive
Taking out a person's fingernails or toenails to hurt them during torture
- Australian
A small kangaroo-like animal with a hard nail at the tip of its tail
- Specialized
A thin metal strip with sharp points that you hammer to join wooden boards
How Precise
Surface Forms
Etymology
Nail meaning 'to determine exactly' comes from the image of fastening something so it cannot move, so to 'nail' the cause or time is to fix it precisely and leave no doubt.