give the third degree to

phrase

variants or give (someone) the third degree
as in question
to put a series of questions to She gave the third degree to her daughter when she missed her curfew. After missing work without hearing from me, my supervisor is sure to give me the third degree when I get back into the office.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for give the third degree to
pick the brains of
Phrase
  • As Garcia climbed through the ranks, racing around the country and eventually overseas, his father began picking the brains of veteran racers and sports psychologists.
    — Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Give the third degree to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give%20the%20third%20degree%20to. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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