All phrases › get to grips with (something)
What does “get to grips with (something)” mean?
Meaning, example sentence and a quick practice question.
C1
To begin to understand and deal with something difficult
“It took me weeks to get to grips with the new software.”
Say it smoothly: “ge-tta-grips-with”
From the C1 lesson Sorting It Out (solving problems).
Quick check
What does “get to grips with (something)” mean?
Teaching this phrase?“get to grips with (something)” is part of a ready-to-teach lesson, with a reading, three exercises, speaking tasks and an answer key, in Everyday English Chunks C1 Pack 2 (Plans, Problems and Feelings).
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Related phrases
- a stumbling blockan obstacle that prevents progress on something
- thrash something outto discuss something thoroughly until a solution or agreement is reached
- nip something in the budto stop a problem early, before it has a chance to grow
- muddle throughto manage to complete something despite a lack of skill, information or organization
- a workarounda way of dealing with a problem without solving the underlying cause
- get to the bottom of (something)to discover the real cause or truth of a problem
- put out firesto deal with urgent problems one after another, usually reactively
- crack itto finally find the solution to a difficult problem
- sort itself out(of a problem) to resolve without anyone needing to take direct action