turn up the heat on

Idioms  

1. Also,; tighten the screws on. Pressure someone, as in The cops turned up the heat on drivers who show signs of drunkenness, or They said they'd tighten the screws on her if she didn't confess. All of these slangy terms allude to forms of physical coercion or torture. The first dates from about 1930, the variants using screws from the mid-1800s, and squeeze from the late 1700s.

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Example Sentences

The offer seems destined to turn up the heat on Novo.

From Barron's • Oct. 30, 2025

The bully pulpit effect of the hearing "will turn up the heat on Starbucks because Bernie has such a big following, especially among young Americans," Greenhouse said.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2023

How Bills can win: Stop the run and turn up the heat on Burrow.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2023

It felt important to us to turn up the heat on the frog in the pot, because part of what the rings do is halt this fading.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2022

Indivisible has tried to use the past two weeks when Congress was in recess to turn up the heat on lawmakers — especially senators.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 12, 2021