can't see the forest for the trees
Meaning: Too focused on details to understand the whole situation.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “He fixes every typo but misses the flawed argument; he can't see the forest for the trees.”
Category: Nature
Origin: Recorded in English in John Heywood's proverb collection (1546) as not seeing "wood for trees." "Forest" is the usual American form; the British say "wood."
Equivalents in other languages
- German: Tomaten auf den Augen haben — literally: To have tomatoes on one's eyes
- Italian: Avere gli occhi foderati di prosciutto — literally: To have eyes lined with ham
- French: Par le petit bout de la lorgnette — literally: Through the small end of the opera glass
More idioms — Nature
- find one's sea legs — To get used to a boat's movement; to grow comfortable in a new situation.
- storm clouds are gathering — Trouble is coming.
- terra firma — Solid ground, as opposed to the sea or the air.
- a rolling stone gathers no moss — Someone who keeps moving never settles or accumulates anything; sometimes also, keeping a…
- little strokes fell great oaks — Small, steady efforts achieve great results.
- protect one's turf — To defend one's area of control or responsibility against others.
More English idioms
- not the sharpest tool in the shed — Not very intelligent.
- the honeymoon period — The early, happy stage of a new relationship or arrangement, before problems appear.
- for donkey's years — For a very long time.
- since time immemorial — For longer than anyone can remember.
- cry one's eyes out — To cry very hard and for a long time.
- make sheep's eyes at — To look at someone in a lovesick, foolish way (dated).