[catch|get] {one's} drift

to get the general understanding of what someone means

I didn't understand what he was saying at first, but after a while, I caught his drift.
She dropped a few hints about the surprise party, and I finally caught her drift.
I had to listen carefully to her tone of voice to get her drift about how she felt about the proposal.
When she mentioned saving money and planning for the future, I caught her drift – she wants to invest wisely.
The comedian's jokes were full of subtle political commentary, and only those familiar with current events could catch the drift.