Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: grappelle, from grape; GRAPE

grapple

 verb
     
grap‧ple [intransitive]
to fight or struggle with someone, holding them tightly [= wrestle]
grapple with
Two men grappled with a guard at the door.

grapple with something

phrasal verb
to try hard to deal with or understand something difficult:
The Government has to grapple with the problem of unemployment.
Molly's upstairs grappling with her maths homework.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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