Meaning & use
turn of the screw
An extra twist or action that increases the pressure or difficulty of a situation.
See it in a sentence
The surprise inspection was one more turn of the screw for the stressed staff.
Losing the client added another turn of the screw to an already bad week.
A note on using this word
Popularized by Henry James's novella of the same name; used idiomatically for a fresh cause of tension or strain.
Words with a similar meaning
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