get to the heart / bottom of sth

/ɡɛt tə ðə hˈɑːt ɒv ˌɛstˌiːˈeɪtʃ/

/ɡɛt tə ðə hˈɑːɹt ʌv ˌɛstˌiːˈeɪtʃ/

to get to the heart / bottom of sth

to discover or determine the underlying cause of something, particularly an issue

Examples

1. Don't worry ma'am, we'll get to the heart of the matter of your daughter's disappearance.

2. After two hours tinkering with your computer, I think I've gotten to the heart of the problem.

3. Money gets to the heart of our sense of safety.

4. Before we get to the heart of the matter, I'd like to assure each of you that your job is secure.