Put the screws to.
To compel or pressure someone.
To "Put the screws to" someone means to compel or pressure them into doing something. This idiom probably comes from the torture devices that used screws to inflict pain. In modern usage, it describes using severe pressure or coercion to achieve a desired outcome from someone.
Example Sentences
The bank really put the screws to him when they demanded the loan repayment.
The bank pressured him significantly by demanding the loan repayment.
In negotiations, he's known for putting the screws to the other side.
In negotiations, he's known for being very forceful and uncompromising with the other side.
They started putting the screws to her to get the information they needed.
They started to pressure her intensely to obtain the information they needed.
