to get down to bedrock

7.4

To deal with the most basic problems in a situation

phrasal verb

: ir al grano

Before the company can recover, we have to get down to bedrock and address the underlying problems.

Examples

This report helps us get down to bedrock in our analysis of the financial crisis.
It's time to put aside minor concerns and get down to bedrock on what really matters.
Let's get down to bedrock and solve the problem.
We need to get down to bedrock before making decisions!
Before the company can recover, we have to get down to bedrock and address the underlying problems.
It's time to put aside minor concerns and get down to bedrock on what really matters.
This report helps us get down to bedrock in our analysis of the financial crisis.

Synonyms

to get to the bottom of

vsto get down to bedrock

120 3.9

Find the real reason for a problem by checking carefully

centres on addressing core foundational issues rather than only finding causes

to get down to brass tacks

vsto get down to bedrock

Informal

4 7.4

Start talking about the most important details

looks deeper at the basic causes and core issues rather than details alone

to plumb the depth

vsto get down to bedrock

4 7.9

To examine something carefully to find hidden details

focuses more on the basic foundation than on exploring deep complexities

to get down to the nitty-gritty

vsto get down to bedrock

Informal

2 6.6

To start dealing with the most important details

focuses on examining the underlying fundamental issues rather than only those facts

to drill into the detail

vsto get down to bedrock

1 6.3

To look closely at the small parts of a plan or report to understand it

is concerned with the fundamental underlying issues rather than fine-grained components

to cut to the nitty-gritty

vsto get down to bedrock

Informal

1 7.4

Start talking about the most important details of a topic

aims to address the root issues themselves rather than just key details

How Fundamental

to get down to bedrock

7.4

to get to the bottom of

120 3.9

to examine

834 2.5

to skim over

3 3.8

Surface Forms

get down to bedrock infinitive

getting down to bedrock present participle

gets down to bedrock third person singular

got down to bedrock past

got down to bedrock past participle

Morphology

get + down + to + bedrock

The verb phrase 'get down to' is a productive English construction meaning 'begin to deal with' or 'focus on', and 'bedrock' (metaphorically) denotes the fundamental/core issues. Combining these parts yields the straightforward sense 'begin to address the most basic issues', a compositional meaning that a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can derive.

Etymology

Get down to bedrock comes from the image of digging: to get down to the hard bedrock under the soil is to reach the most basic layer. So, it means 'to deal with the most basic or important parts of a problem'.