English idiom

get to grips with

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to begin to understand and deal with a difficult problem or task

Why this phrase?

From wrestling, where you 'grip' an opponent; figuratively means to master something.

Example

“It took me a week to get to grips with the new software.”

Dictionary details

Alternate forms

come to grips with

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

get one's head (a)round

to manage to understand something difficult or surprising

throw somebody in at the deep end

to make someone start a difficult task with little preparation or help

wrap your head around something

To fully understand something complicated.

back to basics

returning to the simple, fundamental principles of an activity

easier said than done

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

from scratch

from the very beginning, without using anything prepared earlier

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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