turn up the heat on
turn up the heat (on someone or something)
1. To pressure someone to do something. We need to turn up the heat on those guys so that they finally pay their debt to us. A: "The suspect still isn't saying anything." B: "OK, let's turn up the heat."
2. To start to do something with more determination or intensity. Wow, they really turned up the heat on their opponents in the second half. The company started turning up the heat with its expansion into the mobile phone market.
See also: heat, someone, turn, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
turn up the heat on
Also, put the heat or screws or squeeze on ; 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.
See also: heat, on, turn, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- encumber
- encumber (someone or something) with (something)
- encumber with
- haul before
- take (someone or something) back to (someone or some place)
- take back to
- go down fighting
- go down with guns firing
- I suspect so
- haul over to