COME TO GRIPS WITH

{v. phr.} 1. To get hold of (another wrestler) in close fighting. * /After circling around for a minute, the two wrestlers came to grips with each other./ 2. To struggle seriously with (an idea or problem). * /Mr. Blake's leaching helps students come to grips with the important ideas in the history lesson./ * /Harry cannot be a leader, because he never quite comes to grips with a problem./ Compare: COME TO TERMS(2).