pull teeth

To extract teeth, usually because they are decayed or damaged.

Verb

  1. To extract teeth, usually because they are decayed or damaged.
  2. To do something that is especially difficult or effortful.
    • You will probably have to pull teeth to get a straight answer from a car salesman.
    • “We thought there would be a mad rush of students participating in these events, and it was like pulling teeth to get students to come out,” she recalled. - 2022 October 7, Emma Goldberg, “The Job Market Has Been Like...

    Synonyms: get blood out of a stone

Forms

pulls teeth pulling teeth pulled teeth