/ ˈgræpl; NAmE / verb
1.
grapple (with sb/sth) to take a firm hold of sb/sth and struggle with them :
[ v ]
Passers-by grappled with the man after the attack.
[ vn ]
They managed to grapple him to the ground.
2.
grapple (with sth) to try hard to find a solution to a problem :
[ v ]
The new government has yet to grapple with the problem of air pollution.
[ v to inf ]
I was grappling to find an answer to his question.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (as a noun denoting a grappling hook): from Old French grapil , from Provençal , diminutive of grapa hook, of Germanic origin; related to grape . The verb dates from the mid 16th cent.