can't see the wood for the trees

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. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • can't\ see\ the\ wood\ for\ the\ trees — • can t see the forest for the trees • can t see the wood for the trees • can t see the woods for the trees v. phr. To be unable to judge or understand the whole because of attention to the parts; criticize small things and not see the value or… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • can't\ see\ the\ forest\ for\ the\ trees — • can t see the forest for the trees • can t see the wood for the trees • can t see the woods for the trees v. phr. To be unable to judge or understand the whole because of attention to the parts; criticize small things and not see the value or… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • can't\ see\ the\ woods\ for\ the\ trees — • can t see the forest for the trees • can t see the wood for the trees • can t see the woods for the trees v. phr. To be unable to judge or understand the whole because of attention to the parts; criticize small things and not see the value or… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • can't see the wood for the trees — or[can t see the woods for the trees] or[can t see the forest for the trees] {v. phr.} To be unable to judge or understand the whole because of attention to the parts; criticize small things and not see the value or the aim of the future… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • can't see the wood for the trees — or[can t see the woods for the trees] or[can t see the forest for the trees] {v. phr.} To be unable to judge or understand the whole because of attention to the parts; criticize small things and not see the value or the aim of the future… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • 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

  • 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 …   Useful english dictionary

  • 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

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