在美国，警察过去常常对无权无势的普通人使用刑讯逼供。人们遂借（the）third degree喻指（警察的）疲劳询问；逼供；拷问，同时还把“逮捕”和“入狱”分别婉称为the first degree（第一级）和the second degree（第二级）。

【例句】
They gave him the third degree to find out who his contacts were.
他们对他逼供，想找出他的同谋。

My grandmother always gives my new girlfriend6 the third degree.
我奶奶总是对我的新女友一番盘问。