I Can't See the Wood for the Trees

If someone can't see the wood for the trees in British English, or can't see the forest for the trees in American English, they are very involved in the details of something and so they do not notice what is important about the thing as a whole.

1. What does can't see the wood for the trees mean?
2. What is the meaning of the idiom the wood for the trees?
3. Where does the phrase can t see the wood for the trees come from?
4. What does can't see the forest for the trees to get something exactly right to have one's view of the landscape block to miss the big picture by focusing on the details?

What does can't see the wood for the trees mean?

idiom. British. : to not understand or appreciate a larger situation, problem, etc., because one is considering only a few parts of it.

What is the meaning of the idiom the wood for the trees?

idiom UK (US can't see the forest for the trees) to be unable to understand a situation clearly because you are too involved in it. Difficult to understand.

Where does the phrase can t see the wood for the trees come from?

This expression, still popular today, has been in use in largely the same form for centuries. Many dictionaries trace it back as far as 1546, where it was recorded in John Heywood's “Prouerbes in the English Tongue”. He wrote “ye can not see the wood for trees”.

What does can't see the forest for the trees to get something exactly right to have one's view of the landscape block to miss the big picture by focusing on the details?

To say the idiom cannot see the forest for the trees means that a person or organization cannot see the big picture because the focus is too much on the details. It would be like someone needing to paint an entire house in one day, but spending half the day on picking out the right color.