Definition of "arm-twisting" []

• Informal The use of personal or political pressure in an effort to persuade or to gain support. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "This at the same time that Mazziotti's very recent client, Lord Paulson III, is arm-twisting the elected officials of that lovely 'burb to build him a new minor league baseball stadium."
• "Presidential arm-twisting helped Mr. Ford narrowly win a test vote designed to force him to name his running mate in advance, and ultimately he won the delegate roll call 1,187 to 1,070."
• "Never forget that this bill only passed on the second try, and with a minority of Republican votes even after some epic arm-twisting."