phrasal
1. : to engage wholeheartedly and thoroughly : get down to business
they could come to terms if they came truly to grips instead of scolding at each other over a barrier of misunderstanding — Edward Sapir
— often used with with
last week the way was opened for the West to come to grips with Russia on the atom — New York Times
2. : to grapple or deal on the most fundamental level — usually used with with
they failed to come to grips with the underlying evils of the system