worry out of

worry (something) out of (someone or something)

1. To harass or pester someone or some animal until it leaves some place of hiding or seclusion. I've been using this long stick to worry the rat out of the space beneath the porch. This device emits ultrasonic sounds that will worry those bats out of the attic without causing them any harm. The city always starts playing really loud music in these public bathrooms at night to worry vagrants out of them.

2. To harass or pester someone until they provide something. Kids seem to have a natural ability for worrying permission out of their parents. It's like the police are trying to worry a confession out of me.

See also: of, out, worry

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

worry something out of someone

to annoy some information out of someone. They finally worried the correct number out of me. You can't worry the information out of her. It will require force.

See also: of, out, worry

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.