tighten/put the thumbscrews on
idiom
: to use harsh measures to force (a person or group) to do something or stop doing something
The government is tightening/putting the thumbscrews on dissenters.
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“Tighten/put the thumbscrews on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tighten%2Fput%20the%20thumbscrews%20on. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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