| Id | IAP_04 |
|---|---|
| Idiom | White elephant |
| Meaning | A totally useless possession that you'd like to get rid of |
| Example | Every time you go to a garage sale, you come home with another white elephant! |
| Explanation | A long time ago in Siam (now Thailand), a white elephant was a sacred animal. When the King of Siam was angry at someone, he gave him a white elephant as a "present." The white elephant could never be made to work. It would live only in pampered luxury. Its new owner would probably run out of money caring for it. Some present! Today at a flea market or school fair, you might see people selling "white elephants." Don't look for any light-colored pachyderms. White elephants are just some junk that people don't want anymore and would like to sell to you. |
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