seeing the trees through the forest

Verb

see the trees through the forest (third-person singular simple present sees the trees through the forest, present participle seeing the trees through the forest, simple past saw the trees through the forest, past participle seen the trees through the forest)

1. (idiomatic) To appreciate the details of something, as opposed to only focusing on the big picture.
   • They naturally become very close to the personnel, supervisory and otherwise, and also the areas that they have to inspect, and sometimes I think they are unable to see the trees through the forest or the forest through the trees.1953, Gordon Canfield (quoted), Treasury-Post Office Departments Appropriations for 1954, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 741