put the screws on

Idioms  

1. see under turn up the heat.

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Example Sentences

“Some of the changes in laws, like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, put the screws on the accountants,” Mr. Kathrein said.

From New York Times

Even here, covid-19 is managing to put the screws on — Mom isn’t allowed to leave the grounds of her assisted living, which means she can’t come to our house, not even for Sunday dinner.

From Washington Post

The pandemic also threatens to put the screws on consumption.

From Reuters

When it suits the U.S. to put the screws on a country, that is precisely what the IMF does.

From Salon

“If Beijing wants to put the screws on, it could keep this case going forward in a rapid fire manner as we’ve seen since the December appeal, or the government could press the pause button, or just slow down the pace.”

From The Guardian