2006-07-22 05:20:12 · 19 answers · asked by Tower Of Strength 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
It came from England. A man made a number of 3 dimensional carvings from large slabs of wood depicting various scenes and donated them to the city. The city liked them so much that the carvings were mounted on the side wall of a roadway incline and constructed a city park in front of the carvings complete with a lawn, sitting benches and sapling shade trees. The carvings were simply referred to as "The Woods". Many locals and visitors came to see "The Woods". But those sapling shade trees eventually grew up until you "couldn't see the woods for the trees". We were told this story by a tour guide during our 1997 visit to England so I have always believed it to be true.
2014-07-12 07:15:10 · answer #1 · answered by Al 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"You can't see the woods (or, "the forest") for the trees" means that the guy is being distracted by petty details -- he's so busy looking at individual trees that he doesn't realize that all together they make up a forest.
Wasn't it MacBeth who said "Cheese it, the copse"? Well, maybe not.
2006-07-22 05:25:33 · answer #2 · answered by Dick Eney 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that you can't see what's right in front of you. What is so obvious and plain. You are looking TOO hard to find the answer. Your'e looking for a difficult answer when it is so simple.
2006-07-22 07:53:04 · answer #3 · answered by helpme1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that you can't see the true solution to an issue because of all of the details that surround it.
2006-07-22 05:23:59 · answer #4 · answered by Billy W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that you are so focused on the small insignificant aspects of something that you can't see the big picture.
2006-07-22 05:25:01 · answer #5 · answered by fizzycrystal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your paying too much attention to what is right in front of you instead of looking at the end result.
2006-07-24 16:55:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This pages explains the quote: http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/1529.html
2006-07-22 05:26:39 · answer #7 · answered by Zeta 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Means you are not seeing the big picture.
2006-07-22 05:23:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means you are shortsighted in that you dont see whats ahead of you for looking just nearby you.
2006-07-22 05:24:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are so caught up in the details that you aren't connecting them as a whole picture.
2006-07-22 05:23:09 · answer #10 · answered by whozethere 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋