put someone under the screw
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To compel, coerce or pressure someone.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “put someone under the screw” mean?
To compel, coerce or pressure someone.
Is “put someone under the screw” formal or informal?
put someone under the screw is generally slang.