be put through the mangle

To be subjected to some ordeal, difficulty, trial, or punishment; to undergo an unpleasant experience. Between my mother's bout with cancer, Jenny losing her job, and the bank threatening to foreclose on the house, our family has really been put through the mangle this year. Jake wasn't a great fit for the military, and he was constantly being put through the mangle for disobedience. I don't want to play for that coach—his players are always put through the mangle before the season even begins!