bring into focus

bring (something) into focus

1. To make an adjustment so that a viewed object can be seen clearly, as with instruments that use lenses, or by digital or other means on a screen. You need to bring the vase of flowers into focus so that it doesn't come out blurry in the pictures. The eye doctor adjusted his machine and brought the eye chart into focus for me. Can you bring the footage into focus so we can see the perpetrator's face?
2. To cause something to be better or more clearly understood or seen in a new perspective. Her passionate speech about the environment really brought the importance of conservation efforts into focus.
See also: bring, focus
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

bring something into focus

 
1. Lit. to make something seen through lenses sharply visible. I adjusted the binoculars until I brought the bird sharply into focus. The flowers were brought into focus by adjusting the controls.
2. Fig. to make something clear and understandable. I think we will have a better discussion of the problem if you will say a few words to bring it more sharply into focus. Please try to bring your major point into focus earlier in the essay.
See also: bring, focus
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • bring (something) into focus
  • focus
  • get into focus
  • come into focus
  • kick around
  • paperweight
  • zoom out
  • a bit of crackling
  • FOD
  • (as) dry as dust
References in periodicals archive
The camp will focus on four key priorities agreed by the coaches and players, these being the development of power hitting, batting against spin, bowling skills, and leadership "Our warm-weather base in Spain will be the ideal place for us to bring into focus these areas which we know will be hugely important to our success going forward," said Bailey.
Ferguslie trio set for Spanish skills camp; Cricket
The two exhibitions, Revolution Generations and I strongly believe in our right to be frivolous by Lebanese artist Mounira al Solh, will bring into focus contemporary storylines that resonate with visitors from Qatar and across the region.
FINAL TOUCHES
"Occurrences like this bring into focus the need for protection of Irish language rights through Acht na Gaeilge."
Sign vandals 'attacking the Irish identity'
THE recent threats from terrorist organisations and the murder of an off-duty policeman clearly bring into focus the dangers our police men and women face and need to be aware of, 24 hours a day.
Police safety concerns; Views of the North
Public relations and media director Fahad Buallay said the ministry managed to bring into focus the tasks and responsibilities for each sector and directorate at the ministry and spread its culture amongst society.
Ministry's role is highlighted
Partnership includes the offering of a two-day programme on Fundamentals of Risk Management for Boards and executives, and the development of regional case studies Hawkamah, Institute for Corporate Governance and the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) have formalised a partnership agreement to provide tools to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) executives and boards and bring into focus risk management frameworks and techniques.
Hawkamah and Institute of Risk Management team up
Koenig (art history, North Central College, Illinois) explores how three late-20th-century artists use visual forms that are difficult for the eye to make out, that are impossible to bring into focus or resistant to conventional methods of interpretation, or that jolt or disquiet the viewer by not carrying through with what they initially seemed to promise.
The phenomenon of interruption in the visual arts; a comparison of works by Daniel Libeskind, Gerhard Richter, and Ilya Kabakov
Munich Re is betting that climate change will bring into focus a number of risks and openings for underwriting in Asian countries, where coverage of risks from new, complex technologies will involve high insured amounts.
Munich re: Asia market hot
Examining current research, social policies, service delivery, and treatment and prevention initiatives, the contributors to this volume bring into focus the way present and future demographic shifts in the Latino population are being felt in alcohol programs across the US.
Latinos and Alcohol Use/Abuse Revisited: Advances and Challenges for Prevention and Treatment Programs
"These factors bring into focus belt drag friction factors, effective chain lubrication and possible cleat configurations that may be required," he notes.
Style & substance: baler shoppers must consider what style of machine will best suit their purposes
The goal was to bring into focus the untapped potential of northwestern communities as they strive to become independent leaders despite financial and political challenges.
Rules of the road to growth
Whittington, professor of financial accounting at the University of Cambridge, will also bring into focus the current politicisation of the process, particularly in relation to IAS39 and the methods outlined for hedge accounting (see "Standards bodies at loggerheads", page 4).
Seminar preview
The clay faces of Sol'Sax's figures take his representations into the realm of the grotesque; they also bring into focus his art's mystic and diasporic yearnings.
Sol'Sax: Kenny Schachter contemporary
It involves a turning back of one's gaze to bring into focus the writing of the past ...
Hermes' Lyre, Italian Poetic Self-Commentary from Dante to Tommaso Campanella
Foreign language educators work consciously and unconsciously with metaphors and images because metaphors bring into focus certain aspects of our field and, at the same time, guide and direct our educational practice.
The Nuremberg Funnel and Other Metaphors We Teach By. (Germanic Languages & Literature)