get one's arms around

English

Alternative forms

• wrap one's arms around

Verb

get one's arms around (third-person singular simple present gets one's arms around, present participle getting one's arms around, simple past got one's arms around, past participle (UK) got one's arms around or (US) gotten one's arms around)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see get,‎ arms,‎ around.
   • 2011, Anthony Balducci, The Funny Parts: A History of Film Comedy Routines and Gags, →ISBN:

     The man tries to embrace the statue, but the statue disappears before he can get his arms around it and it reappears magically on the opposite side of the room.

2. To fully understand; to wrap one's head around; to get a handle on.
   • 2003, Allan Katcher, Kenneth Pasternak, Managing Your Strengths, →ISBN, page 69:

     Rather, it is the way Pekka needs to get his arms around the data before making up his own mind.

   • 2006, Jerry Goebel, Is There Hope For Me Now?, →ISBN, page 16:

     They can't get their arms around their feelings.

   • 2010, Ronald O'Rourke, Navy Role in Irregular Warfare and Counter-Terrorism, →ISBN:

     Roughead said the NECC is performing a really good mission and he is trying to get his arms around how much bigger it should grow.

   • 2010, Gary Chartrand, Unreasonable Leadership, →ISBN:

     My request was to eliminate this liability on the company so the banks could get their arms around what our future liabilities would be.

3. To manage, handle, or control; to get on top of.
   • 1995, Lee H. Hamilton, Daniel K. Inouye, Report of the Congressional Committees Investigating the Iran/Contra Affair, →ISBN, page 305:

     Meese arrived back at the Justice Department at 12:45 p.m. and advised Reynolds, Cooper, and Richardson that the President had authorized him to "get his arms around the Iranian initiative."

   • 2009, Vincent Bzdek, The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled, →ISBN:

     The imperfect prince was a role he could get his arms around.

   • 2017 February 18, David Smith, Ben Jacobs, “Chaos in the White House: 'There's never been anything like this'”, in The Guardian:

     “This can’t just stand,” said Rich Galen, former press secretary to the 44th vice-president, Dan Quayle. “It was kind of fun in the beginning watching the kids run around and bump into each other. Now they’ve got the keys to the car and it’s dangerous. Someone has to go in and get their arms around this.”