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"Pinpoint" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "precisar", and "specify" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "especificar". Learn more about the difference between "pinpoint" and "specify" below.
pinpoint(
pihn
-
poynt
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. precisar
The police cannot pinpoint a motive for the murder.La policía no logra precisar el motivo del asesinato.
b. establecer
The authorities were able to pinpoint the source of the epidemic.Las autoridades pudieron establecer el origen de la epidemia.
c. identificar
Unless we can pinpoint the reasons for the failure of the mission, we run the risk of committing the same mistakes again.Si no podemos identificar las razones por las cuales fracasó la misión, corremos el riesgo de volver a cometer los mismos errores.
d. determinar con exactitud
GPS can help us to pinpoint the location of ships in the channel.El GPS nos puede permitir determinar con exactitud la posición de los barcos en el canal.
2. (to find)
a. localizar con exactitud
This technology allows us to pinpoint the position of each vehicle in the fleet.Esta tecnología nos permite localizar con exactitud cada vehículo de la flota.
b. ubicar con exactitud (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
Satellite images make it easier to pinpoint enemy bases and missile launchers.Las imágenes del satelite nos facilitan la tarea de ubicar con exactitud las bases enemigas y sus lanzamisiles.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
3. (small spot)
a. el puntito (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I knew it was morning from the pinpoint of light that found its way through the blind.Sabía que había amanecido por el puntito de luz que lograba entrar por la persiana.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
4. (exact)
a. milimétrico
Robots are able to drill these holes with pinpoint precision.Los robots pueden hacer estos taladros con una precisión milimétrica.
b. preciso
Pinpoint positioning of the parts is essential.Es imprescindible un posicionamiento preciso de las piezas.
c. exacto
The system provides pinpoint location of your vehicle.El sistema proporciona la ubicación exacta de su vehículo.
specify(
speh
-
sih
-
fay
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. especificar
Celine asked me to meet her here today, but she didn't specify a time.Celine pidió verme aquí hoy, pero no especificó una hora.
b. precisar
I ordered a meal in Spanish for the first time and was able to specify how I wanted my meat cooked.Pedí una comida en español por primera vez y pude precisar a qué punto quería que estuviera la carne.
c. aclarar
I think she is arriving on a domestic flight, but she didn't specify.Creo que va a llegar en un vuelo nacional, pero no lo aclaró.
a. especificar
The building code specifies the requirements to be met in order to build an apartment building.El código urbano especifica los requisitos que deben cumplirse para construir un edificio de apartamentos.
