twist someone's arm

Idioms and Phrases

Coerce or persuade someone, as in If you twist my arm I'll stay for another drink , or She didn't really want to go to the theater but he twisted her arm . Originally alluding to physical coercion, this term is now generally used more loosely and often jocularly. [Mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

I do know some musicians through comedy, but I don’t want to twist someone’s arm to help me out or get a feature.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• alarm
• awe
• bully
• coerce
• constrain
• daunt
• dishearten
• dismay
• scare
• subdue
• terrify
• terrorize