Understanding the Idiom 'Pulling Teeth': Meaning & Usage

"Pulling teeth" is an idiom that means extracting something with great difficulty or reluctance. It is often used to describe a situation where someone is trying to get information or cooperation from someone who is unwilling or reluctant to provide it. For example, a detective might say that they had to "pull teeth" to get a witness to talk about what they had seen. The phrase can also be used to describe a difficult or unpleasant task. For example, someone might say that they had to "pull teeth" to get through a long and boring meeting.