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Meaning of put the screws | Babel Free

Verb CEFR C1

Definitions

To apply pressure and coercion.

idiomatic

Examples

“If in fact […] they put the screws on Berlin in the way that Gromyko said they were going to, then we are... I know that we were bound to invade Cuba under those conditions.”

“Near the end of a year when Fox was putting the screws to The Simpsons, the extra effort required of “Lisa’s Wedding” was justly rewarded, earning the episode the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animation.”

CEFR level

C1

Advanced
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.

See also

put the shits up someone put the shoe on the other foot put the squeeze on put the stunners on put the tin lid on it put the toothpaste back in the tube