jemandem die Würmer aus der Nase ziehen

to drag information out of someone

Origin

Goes back to old folk medicine: illnesses were believed to be caused by worm-shaped demons; quack healers pretended to pull these "worms" out. Attested since the late 17th c.

Source →

Building blocks

Words in this expression

die Antwort· answer einzeln· single die Nase· nose ziehen· to pull

Grammar that uses this word

Reflexive verbs with the dativeReflexive Verben mit Dativ

Examples

Ich musste ihm jede aus der .
I had to drag every single answer out of him.