Etymology

put a pin in

Today it means: To discredit or ridicule; to deflate someone or something that is pompous or overly esteemed. Full definition →

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The story

Metaphors that arise from various uses of pins, including popping a balloon, pinning in place, and marking with a pin (such as a map position) so that something can be found quickly later. See earlier stick a pin there.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.