put through the wringer

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put through the wringer (third-person singular simple present puts through the wringer, present participle putting through the wringer, simple past and past participle put through the wringer)

1. (idiomatic) To interrogate or scrutinize closely; to subject to some trial or ordeal.

   They really put each candidate through the wringer before choosing one to hire.

• (subject to trial or ordeal): run through the wringer, put through the mangle