Etymology From Middle English vis, vys, vice (“screw”), from Anglo-Norman vyz, vice, from Old French vis (“screw”), from Latin vītis f (“vine”). Probably akin to English withe.
1
US An instrument consisting of two jaws, closing by a screw, lever, cam, or the like, for holding work, as in filing.
Clamp this loop in a strong vise and twist the two ends evenly into one piece. As the twisting progresses, move the wire along so as to keep the grip of the vise close to the hands.1937 October, R. H. Jenkins, “Five attractive new designs you can work out from inexpensive materials”, in Popular Science, volume 131, number 4, Bonnier Corporation, page 96:
2
Figuratively A situation in which one's freedom of choice is constrained.
I'd like to know what would become of us in the next ten minutes. They've got us in a vise. We're done for, Gall.c. 1921 (date written), Karel Čapek, translated by Paul Selver, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots): A Fantastic Melodrama […], Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1923, →OCLC, Act 3:
Etymology From Middle English vis, vys, vice (“screw”), from Anglo-Norman vyz, vice, from Old French vis (“screw”), from Latin vītis f (“vine”). Probably akin to English withe.
1
To clamp with or as with a vise.
He looked to see the secretary, vised and crackled in those arms, drop limp and senseless.1904, The Cambrian - Volume 24, page 166:
Repeat this step to make the bend at the other 39-inch mark being careful that it is also at a 90° angle to the vised pipe, and also parallel to the first bend.1981, Petersen's Photographic Magazine - Volume 10, Issues 7-12, page 51:
2 more examples
“There's my girl,” he whispered. He reached back to lift each of her legs to vise her knees under his arms.2007, Catherine Anderson, Phantom Waltz, →ISBN, page 302:
I do clearly remember the last part of that conversation, because it involved Athena promising that the next time she saw me, she was going to vise my jaws open and shit down my throat.2013, Geoff Berner, Festival Man: A Novel, →ISBN: