What Does White Elephant In The Room Mean

Definition of white elephant in the idioms dictionary.

What does white elephant in the room mean.

If there is an elephant in the room it means that an obvious problem is being ignored. The elephant in the room is a large obvious and important thing that no one wants to address because the problem is uncomfortable. In modern usage it is an object building project scheme business venture facility etc considered expensive but without use or value. The meaning if not the exact wording dates from at least the 1950s and is possibly some years older than that.

Put another way it is a noticeable issue that is not acknowledged or addressed. Definitions by the largest idiom dictionary. The elephant in the room is an american phrase with murky origins the first reference being in 1935 to mean something obvious and incongruous. Jim arrived at work and his clothes were soaking wet.

What does white elephant expression mean. The elephant in the room definition. A white elephant is a possession which its owner cannot dispose of and whose cost particularly that of maintenance is out of proportion to its usefulness. If you say there is an elephant in the room you mean that there is an obvious problem or.

He was scheduled for a business meeting that was starting any moment so not wanting to be late he. An obvious truth that is deliberately ignored by everyone in a situation meaning pronunciation translations and examples. Chicago that s an old indian word meaning get that elephant out of your room. The first reference to the phrase that i have found is in the charleston gazette july 1952.