The idiom "thirty-thousand-foot view" means to look at a situation or problem from a broad and high-level perspective, rather than focusing on the details. It comes from the idea of looking down at the world from an airplane at a high altitude of 30,000 feet.
You might use this idiom when you want to discuss a topic in a general way or when you want to summarize a complex issue quickly. For example, if you were discussing a business strategy, you might say, "Let's take a thirty-thousand-foot view of our company's goals and objectives before we dive into the details of our plan."
In other words, you want to take a step back and look at the big picture before getting into the specifics. This idiom is often used in business, politics, and other fields where it's important to see the overall picture and make strategic decisions based on that view.
• As a historian, I always take a thirty-thousand-foot view of events to understand their significance in context. (using the idiom to demonstrate expertise in a field)
• When I plan my vacation, I always try to take a thirty-thousand-foot view to decide where to go. (using the idiom in context)
• I like to see the big picture. (basic understanding of the idiom)
• The author's book provided a fascinating thirty-thousand-foot view of the political and social trends that shaped the twentieth century. (using the idiom to demonstrate advanced language proficiency and sophisticated understanding of a topic)
• The CEO gave a presentation that provided a thirty-thousand-foot view of the company's financial performance. (using the idiom in a professional setting)
• Before making any decision, it's important to take a thirty-thousand-foot view of the situation to see all the possible outcomes. (using the idiom to emphasize the importance of considering all possibilities)