someone can't see the wood for the trees

someone can't see the wood for the trees
someone can’t see the wood for the trees british informal phrase
used for saying that someone cannot understand what is important in a situation because they are thinking too much about small details
Thesaurus: not showing careful thought or good judgmentsynonym
Main entry: wood

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • someone can't see the wood for the trees — British informal used for saying that someone cannot understand what is important in a situation because they are thinking too much about small details …   English dictionary

  • can't see the wood for the trees —    If someone can t see the wood for the trees, they are so concentrated on the details that they can t see the situation as a whole.     The new manager found the situation so complicated that he couldn t see the wood for the trees …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • can't see the wood for the trees — British, American & Australian, American & Australian if someone can t see the wood for the trees, they are unable to understand what is important in a situation because they are giving too much attention to details. After you ve spent years… …   New idioms dictionary

  • can't see the woodfor the trees —    If someone can t see the wood for the trees, they are so concentrated on the details that they can t see the situation as a whole.     The new manager found the situation so complicated that he couldn t see the wood for the trees …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • wood for the trees — (UK) If someone can t see the wood for the trees, they get so caught up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger picture …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • wood for the trees — (UK)    If someone can t see the wood for the trees, they get so caught up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger picture.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • Wood for the trees —   (UK)   If someone can t see the wood for the trees, they get so caught up in small details that they fail to understand the bigger picture …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • wood */*/*/ — UK [wʊd] / US noun Word forms wood : singular wood plural woods 1) [uncountable] the substance that forms the main part of a tree and is used for making things such as furniture a piece of wood the polished dark wood of an antique table cut/chop… …   English dictionary

  • see — see1 W1S1 [si:] v past tense saw [so: US so:] past participle seen [si:n] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(notice/examine)¦ 2¦(notice something is true)¦ 3¦(ability to see)¦ 4¦(find out information)¦ 5¦(in the future)¦ 6¦(where information is)¦ 7¦(understand)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • see — 1 /si:/ verb past tense saw past participle seen /si:n/ UNDERSTAND/REALIZE 1 (I, T) to understand or realize something: I can see that you re not very happy with the situation. | Seeing his distress, Louise put her arm around him. (+ why/what/who …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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