come to grips with (something)

to make an effort to understand and deal with a problem or situation.

The whole community is struggling to come to grips with these kids' deaths.

Related vocabulary: come to terms with something

• have sights set on
• have sights set on doing something
• have sights set on something
• have someone by the balls
• have someone by the short and curlies
• have someone dead to rights
• have someone down on like a ton of bricks
• have someone down on you like a ton of bricks
• have someone in corner
• have someone in sights
• have someone in stitches
• have someone in the palm of hand
• have someone in the palm of your hand
• have someone in your corner
• have someone in your sights
• have someone on a short leash
• have someone on a string
• have someone on a tight leash
• have someone on hand
• have someone on hands
• have someone on the run
• have someone on your hands
• have someone over a barrel
• have someone pegged
• have someone rolling in the aisles