Dic: a handle on someone or something

• When you got a handle on your anxiety you can begin to control it.
• I can't get a handle on these sales figures.
• Visiting the country should give us a better handle on understanding the problems.
• It is difficult to get a handle on how widespread this problem is.
• I was finally able to get a handle on the true nature of the problem.
• I soon began to get a handle on the new software.

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■ If you have a handle on a subject or problem, you have a way of approaching it that helps you to understand it or deal with it. (informal)

■ get/have a handle on someone/something: (informal) to understand or know about someone or something, especially so that you can deal with it or them later.

■ give someone a handle (on something): (informal) to give someone enough facts or knowledge for them to be able to deal with something.

■ get a handle on it: to start to understand a situation, subject etc:

■ get a handle on, have a handle on: (informal) to achieve an understanding of.

■ have/got a handle on something: (informal) to understand something well.

... Cobuild, OALD, LDOCE, The American Heritage, Macmillan