Vise

/vaɪs/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A tool used for holding an object firmly in place while work is done on it.

He secured the wooden plank in the vise so he could cut it safely.

A situation of being in a difficult position where one is forced to make a tough choice.

She found herself in a vise between her job and her family obligations.

Middle English, from Old French 'vis' meaning screw.

vise grip

A type of clamp that locks onto an object.

in a vise

Under extreme pressure or stress.

clamp

A device used to hold or secure objects tightly together.

fasten

To attach or secure something firmly.

To hold someone tightly in a metaphorical sense.

After that argument, I felt like I was in a vise.

To be in a difficult or pressured situation.

I'm really in a vise with these deadlines.