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- Dictionarywhite elephant/ˌwʌɪt ˈɛlɪf(ə)nt/
noun
- 1. a possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain or difficult to dispose of: "a huge white elephant of a house that needed ten thousand spent on it"
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something that is expensive, or that costs a lot of money to keep in good condition, but that has no useful purpose and is no longer wanted: She believes the development may become a white elephant that fails to attract suitable tenants. The Olympic committee discourages host cities from building sports venues that turn into costly white elephants.
A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of without extreme difficulty, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness.
What's the meaning of the phrase 'A white elephant'? Originally ‘white elephants’ were simply that – elephants that were white. Later, the expression came to mean ‘a burdensome possession – one that is more trouble than it is worth’.
Nov 2, 2023 · An item that is expensive and hard to maintain or get rid of. A gift that may be considered a burden rather than something beneficial. Something that stands out because of its size or cost but is not very useful.
1. : an Asian elephant of a pale color that is sometimes venerated in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar. 2. a. : a property requiring much care and expense and yielding little profit. b. : an object no longer of value to its owner but of value to others. c. : something of little or no value.
White elephant definition: a possession unwanted by the owner but difficult to dispose of. See examples of WHITE ELEPHANT used in a sentence.
Definition of white elephant noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
noun. 1. a rare albino or pale grey variety of the Indian elephant, regarded as sacred in parts of S Asia. 2. a possession that is unwanted by its owner. 3. an elaborate venture, construction, etc, that proves useless. 4. a rare or valuable possession the upkeep of which is very expensive. Collins English Dictionary.
noun. [usually singular] a thing that is useless and no longer needed, although it may have cost a lot of money The new office building has become an expensive white elephant. From the story that in Siam (now Thailand) the king would give a white elephant as a present to someone that he did not like.
An object that appears magnificent but which is a burdensome financial liability. Examples. The Empire State Building was a remarkable achievement but, for years after it was built, it had few tenants and was really a white elephant for its developers. Where did it originate? Britain, late 19th century. Where is it used? Worldwide.
