put (one) under the cosh

put (one) under the cosh

To force one to contend with a difficult or stressful situation; to put one under pressure or difficulty. Primarily heard in UK. Local businesses have been increasingly put under the cosh by the austerity measures imposed by the government after the economic crash. Middlesbrough has really been putting Manchester United under the cosh in this second half.
See also: cosh, put
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • drive (one) out of office
  • force (one) out of office
  • force out of office
  • cooking for one
  • as one door closes, another (one) opens
  • as one door closes, another one opens
  • as one door closes, another opens
  • give (one) (one's) head
  • give head
  • give someone their head