Learn English – turn up the dial

idiomsmeaning

Usage example with a context:

The restoration of Kiev's control over the border is critical, Blinken said. "Unless that happens and until that happens, Russia will always have, and President Putin will always have, the possibility to turn up the dial any time he wants," said Blinken, "sending weapons in, sending men in, materiel in, and reigniting the conflict."

What do you think this expression means and where you think it originated?

Best Answer

I think the cited article is badly written - it has spelling and grammar errors, as well as non-standard usages like the one being asked about here. The writer is "mangling" a relatively common idiomatic usage...

turn up the heat (on someone or something) (figurative, alternatively turn the heat up...)
to put pressure on someone or something; apply additional pressure to someone or something.

OP's cited usage is a misguided attempt at a "extended" metaphoric reference, where the underlying heat = (increasing) tension in a (potential) conflict is indirectly referenced through the control dial (for a cooker, heating system, etc.). The intended meaning will be obvious to a native speaker, but the usage itself isn't idiomatically standard.

Related Topic