IdiomBody & Senses

English

get to grips with something

Meaning: To start dealing seriously with a problem.

Example: “The new manager is still getting to grips with the budget.”

Origin: From wrestling, where fighters seize each other in a grip. The phrase is chiefly British, common from the 20th century.

Equivalents in other languages

Swedish: få bukt med Literally: To get a loop around

More English idioms

the law of the jungle A situation where the strongest or most ruthless win.
dig one's own grave To cause one's own downfall.
wouldn't hurt a fly Is very gentle and harmless.
in borrowed plumes Pretending to qualities or achievements that belong to someone else.
come in handy To be useful when needed.
like two peas in a pod Very similar in looks or character.

Explore another collection: False Friends

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

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Attendre Actually means 'to wait for'. J'attends le bus = I'm waiting for the bus. For attend an e…
Actuel Actually means 'current' or 'present-day'. Actuellement = currently — not 'actually'.

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