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Zesty Y
2022-01-13 09:01
Turn the screw(s) (on someone) informal phrase
If you turn the screws on someone, you compel them to do something by intimidating them.
If we don't turn the screw on this guy, I'm afraid he won't pay his debt to us.
John claimed that the police turned the screws on him to plead guilty.
After hours of turning the screws on the suspect, he finally confessed.
1. To make someone do something using force or threats
2. To intentionally underperform to deceive and take advantage of someon
The verb "turn" must be conjugated according to its tense.
This phrase is a reference to a method of torture called the thumbscrew. The prisoner's thumbs were pressed between two bars of iron which were then tightened by means of a screw.
Do you see anything wrong?
To punish someone or something harshly
He's a really strict teacher, so he'll definitely lower the boom on you if you don't do your homework.
