# grab by the lapels

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/grab-by-the-lapels
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To exert control over (something).

## Examples

- You need to grab the project by the lapels and finish it.
- The company was failing, so the new manager grabbed the situation by the lapels to restore order.
- Faced with the impending collapse of the department, the director grabbed the crisis by the lapels and implemented a series of rigorous, immediate reforms.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.