I. ˈvīs noun
Etymology: Middle English vys, vice screw, from Anglo-French vyz, from Latin vitis vine — more at withy
Date: 1500
1. : any of various tools with two jaws for holding work that close usually by a screw, lever, or cam
2. : something likened to a vise
economic vise of slow growth and rampant price increases — David Milne
• vise·like -ˌlīk adjective
[
vise 1
]
II. transitive verb
( vised ; vis·ing )
Date: 1602
: to hold, force, or squeeze with or as if with a vise