To twist something means to bend or turn it into a shape that is not normal or natural Twist someone's arm.

This just sounds painful.

And what happened to you?

You look really tired.

Yeah, I was out late at the moldy ear lobes concert.

I thought you said you weren't going because of your big presentation this morning.

Correct.

But our dear friend Ashley twisted my arm.

She even said she'd buy me pizza before the show.

Twisting someone's arm in the sport of wrestling is a way to gain control in a way that is what this expression means to twist someone's arm means to force someone to do something.

But it was pretty easy to get Jonathan to go to the show.

It only took one word pizza, and that's English in a minute.