cannot see the wood for the trees
Related to cannot see the wood for the trees: can't see the wood for the trees, cannot see the forest for the trees
can't see the wood for the trees
Cannot see, understand, or focus on a situation in its entirety due to being preoccupied with minor details. The way he's obsessing over one doorknob when we're renovating the entire house makes me think that he can't see the wood for the trees.
See also: see, tree, wood
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
cannot see the wood for the trees
and cannot see the forest for the treesProv. Cannot perceive the overview or important things because of concentrating too much on details. The information presented in this textbook is so disorganized that I can't see the wood for the trees. The politician's opponents claimed that she couldn't see the forest for the trees, because she spent so much time trying to solve minor problems.
See also: cannot, see, tree, wood
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
cannot see the wood for the trees
fail to grasp the main issue because of over-attention to details.The North American version of this expression is cannot see the forest for the trees .
See also: cannot, see, tree, wood
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- can't see the forest for the trees
- can't see the wood for the trees
- forest
- not see the wood for the trees
- not able to see the forest for the trees
- not able to see the wood for the trees
- slicker than snot on a doorknob
- down to (someone or something)
- down to somebody/something
- until (one's) dying day