To put someone through the wringer 意為「使某人歷盡艱辛，使某人飽受折磨」，其中 wringer 是指現代電動洗衣機問世之前所使用的衣物絞乾機。由於使用這種衣物絞乾機相當費力，使用過程倍感艱辛，因此比喻為上述意思。這個慣用語出現於 20 世紀伊始時，但在 1940 年代達到使用上的顛峰。
由於 wringer 的發音與 ringer 一樣，有人可能會將此慣用語寫成 put someone through the ringer，那就錯了，因為 ringer 意為「冒名頂替者；按鈴者，敲鐘者；電話的鈴聲裝置」等，與 wringer 完全無關。不過，若將 wringer 改為 mill，就變成另一個同義的慣用語，即 put someone through the mill，這應該也是磨坊 (mill) 的工作讓人吃足苦頭、受盡艱難所衍生的用語。
例句：
- The teacher really put the students through the wringer. (這位老師真的使學生吃足苦頭)
- His family has really been put through the wringer these past few months, because his father suffered from a bout with cancer, his wife lost her job, and the bank threatened to foreclose on the family’s house. (過去這幾個月他的家庭真是受盡磨難，因為他父親得了癌症、他太太失業，而銀行威脅要法拍他家的房子)
- John’s been put through the wringer lately, first with his divorce, and then losing his job. (約翰最近先後遭受離婚和失業的痛苦折磨)
- Mary is really putting through the mill with her divorce. (瑪麗正受到離婚的痛苦折磨)
- I heard Paul had an interview this morning – they really put him through the mill. (我聽說保羅今早去面試了 — 他們真的讓他受盡了考驗)