forest

Related to forest: deforestation

can't see the forest 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 forest for the trees.
See also: forest, see, tree

not able to see the forest for the trees

Unable or unwilling to see, understand, or focus on a situation in its entirety due to being preoccupied with minor details. I just feel like he hasn't been able to see the forest for the trees on this project, getting hung up on the most mundane details at the expense of our overall productivity. If you really can't tell that the president's actions are all working toward the greater good of the country, then you're just not able to see the forest for the trees.
See also: able, forest, not, see, tree
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

cannot see the wood for the trees

 and cannot see the forest for the trees
Prov. 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

not able to see the forest for the trees

Cliché allowing many details of a situation to obscure the situation as a whole. (Not able to is often expressed as can't.) The solution is obvious. You missed it because you can't see the forest for the trees. She suddenly realized that she hadn't been able to see the forest for the trees.
See also: able, forest, not, see, tree
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

can't see the forest for the trees

Also, can't see the wood for the trees. Focus only on small details and fail to understand larger plans or principles, as in Alex argues about petty cash and overlooks the budget-he can't see the forest for the trees . This expression was already a proverb in John Heywood's 1546 collection.
See also: forest, see, tree
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

not see the wood for the trees

BRITISH or

not see the forest for the trees

AMERICAN
If someone can't see the wood for the trees, they are so involved in the details of something that they do not understand or pay attention to the most important parts of it. He often helped those who could not see the wood for the trees reach the correct decision. A picture is emerging of an agency that can't see the forest for the trees.
See also: not, see, tree, wood
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

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

not see the ˌwood for the ˈtrees

(British English) (American English not see the ˌforest for the ˈtrees) (informal) not have a clear understanding of a situation because you are only looking at small aspects of it and not considering the situation as a whole: The situation is so complex that many people are unable to see the wood for the trees.
See also: not, see, tree, wood
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

can't see the forest/wood(s) for the trees

Focusing on small details makes one overlook the large picture. John Heywood’s proverb collection in 1546 has it, “Ye cannot see the wood for the trees.” A modern twist was provided by C. S. Lewis in a critique of William Golding’s novel, The Inheritors: “All those little details you only notice in real life if you’ve got a high temperature. You couldn’t see the wood for the leaves.”
See also: forest, see, tree
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • cannot see the wood for the trees
  • can't see the forest for the trees
  • can't see the wood for the trees
  • 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
References in classic literature
His excellency's asking too much for the forest. I can't make both ends meet over it.
If it's settled, it's useless haggling; but if it's not," said Levin, "I'll buy the forest."
Anna Karenina
The Bonanza king of the Black Forest lives to a good old age, blessed with the love of his wife and of his twenty-seven children, and the still sweeter envy of everybody around.
Tramp Abroad
He had not said a word of the forest and I hoped that my companion's reason would hold out some time longer against the torture.
Phantom of the Opera
They walked the whole night and all the next day too from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three berries, which grew on the ground.
Fairy Tales
There is not much cleared land near Valdivia: after crossing a river at the distance of a few miles, we entered the forest, and then passed only one miserable hovel, before reaching our sleeping-place for the night.
The Voyage of the Beagle
Father Snail could not speak, he was too much affected; and so they gave them as a dowry and inheritance, the whole forest of burdocks, and said--what they had always said--that it was the best in the world; and if they lived honestly and decently, and increased and multiplied, they and their children would once in the course of time come to the manor-house, be boiled black, and laid on silver dishes.
Andersens Fairy Tales
In this direction he made his way, while from out of the forest about him the cries of the flesh-eaters increased in volume and ferocity.
Tarzan the Untamed
The logs swung around in circles, and we got nowhere, and all the time the forest was flashing past as we drifted down the stream.
Before Adam
"Who are you," he asked, "who dare enter the land of Kaol and hunt in the royal forest of the jeddak?"
Warlord of Mars
They had barely time to hasten away farther into the forest before the first of the raiders had crossed the clearing and entered it in pursuit of them.
The Return of Tarzan
The next moment, so indistinct were the sounds, he doubted whether he had heard aught but the murmur of the old forest, whispering without a wind.
Mosses From An Old Manse and other stories
"If you wish," said the Lion, "I will go into the forest and kill a deer for you.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
So the animal pranced into the forest and soon came trotting back to them.
The Emerald City of Oz
But in the meantime Robin Hood and his band lived quietly in Sherwood Forest, without showing their faces abroad, for Robin knew that it would not be wise for him to be seen in the neighborhood of Nottingham, those in authority being very wroth with him.
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood