get a fix on

Idioms  

1. Also, have a fix on;;. Obtain (or have) a clear determination or understanding of something. For example, I was finally able to get a fix on the specifics of this problem, or No one in the press room had a handle on Balkan history, or Do you have a grasp of the situation? Similarly, give a fix means “provide a clear understanding,” as in This briefing will give us a fix on the current situation. The usages with fix and handle are colloquialisms dating from the 1920s; those with grasp are more formal and date from the late 1600s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

get a fix on

“The more he tried to get a fix on the fact of being Cass here,” Goldstein writes, “the more the whole idea of it just got away from him.”

From Scientific American ● Aug. 17, 2019

But I couldn’t get a fix on his presence — mainly because there was no presence.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 27, 2019

Even so, it's often impossible to get a fix on any aspect of the supply chain or manufacturing process.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2018

Cuban officials weren’t so sure about the storm’s location, and decided to get a fix on it.

From National Geographic ● Sep. 8, 2017

I watched my reflection not only in the mirror, but in store windows and across the television when it wasn’t on, trying to get a fix on my looks.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

Related Words

• diagnose
• identify
• recognize