From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnot see the wood for the treesnot see the wood for the trees (also not see the forest for the trees American English)UNDERSTAND# to be unable to understand what is important in a situation because you are thinking too much about small details rather than the whole situation → seenot see the wood for the treesnot see the wood for the treesNOTICEto not notice what is important about something because you give too much of your attention to small details → wood
