It means: to put some pressure on someone to do something

[amybuer]

I think it comes from torture. Like if you put someone's feet to the fire and you want information them, they will probably give you that information quickly.

[cyberjosh]

The best word I can think of is "coerce". In an interrogation of a suspect you would call such a forceful approach "coercive interrogation". That word in German is "zwingen". I think that's your best fit. A more general term (which has etymological roots in "press", which pressure also comes from) is oppression (noun) or "to oppress" (verb). In German I think that word is "bedrücken", which comes from drücken, which in turn means "to press".

Were you looking for the German or the English word for this concept?

Cheers,
Josh

[Keswick]

The German translation would be "Druck ausüben", however there is no etymological evidence that "Druck ausüben" has its origins in torture .

[cyberjosh]

I just thought of another English expression this morning: "to strong-arm [someone]" or "to twist [someone's] arm". It is mostly figurative but comes from an image of making someone to do something by force.

From Dictionary.com "strong-arm: using, involving, or threatening the use of physical force or violence to gain an objective: 'strong-arm methods'. "

"He strong armed me into paying the money".

"He twisted my arm into working the night shift for him."

"My grandmother had to twist my arm to eat her world famous pie." (this is sarcasm )