twist (one's) arm
To pressure or force one into doing something. Oh, she immediately agreed to come tonight—I didn't even have to twist her arm. They had to twist my arm to convince me to start volunteering, but when I finally did, I realized how much I loved it.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
twist someone's arm
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]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
twist someone's arm
If you twist someone's arm, you try hard to persuade them to do something. I had to twist their arm to get them to start working with me, but once they did, it went well from there. I didn't twist your arm to make you come. You wanted to because you sensed a story. Note: You can also talk about arm-twisting. He borrowed 70 per cent of the money from his banks, after some arm-twisting.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
twist someone's arm
persuade someone to do something that they are or are thought to be reluctant to do. informalFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
twist someone’s arm
tv. to pressure someone. I had to twist her arm a little, but she agreed.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.