Verb
twist the knife (third-person singular simple present twists the knife, present participle twisting the knife, simple past and past participle twisted the knife)
(informal, figuratively) To deliberately do or say something to worsen a difficult situation or increase a person's distress, irritation, or anger.
Prisons are the temples where devils learn to prey. Every time we turn the key we twist the knife of fate, because every time we cage a man we close him in with hate. Gregory David Roberts