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Where did the phrase elephant in the room come from?
What does elephant in the room mean?
What does “white elephant in the room” mean?
Should we use idioms like “elephant in the room”?
When did 'an elephant in the living room' come out?
What is an antonym for “elephant in the room”?
Origins. In 1814, Ivan Krylov (1769–1844), poet and fabulist, wrote a fable entitled "The Inquisitive Man", which tells of a man who goes to a museum and notices all sorts of tiny things, but fails to notice an elephant. The phrase became proverbial. [6]
- What Does Elephant in The Room Mean?
- Is Elephant in The Room An Idiom?
- What’s The Meaning of White Elephants in The room?
- What’s The Origin of The Phrase Elephant in The room?
- Elephant in The Room Synonyms
- Examples of Using The Phrase Elephant in The Room in A Sentence
- No More Elephant in The Room
We all use the phrase “elephant in the room” to describe a situation or an issue that’s pretty obvious or noticeable, but it’s not being addressed or discussed the way it should be. Like when you know two friends in your friend’s group are fighting but are super quiet when among everyone. You could stand upand say, “Alright, let’s address the eleph...
You bet! When you hear “the elephant in the room,” you can be sure it’s considered an English idiom or idiomatic phrase because it’s not a true statement; there’s no actual giant elephant standing in the room.
“White elephant in the room” is a variation of the normal phrase most of us use. A “white elephant” is considered a rare and valuable gift in some cultures, but eventually, over many years, the term came to represent something difficult to get rid of or take care of.
You’d think the roots of this phrase went back quite far, but it first appeared in America during the early 1950s in an excerpt in the Charleston Gazettethat said, “Chicago, that’s an old Indian word meaning get that elephant out of your room.” It was also reworded and used in the title of the book by Typpo and Hastings, “An Elephant in the Living ...
Taboo topicUnspoken issueDelicate matterSkeleton in the closetThe company’s financial problems were the elephant in the room that nobody wanted to acknowledge, but we had to address them to move forward with a new plan.With my mother planning to visit, my husband and I had to talk about the elephant in the room; she’s extremely rude, and everyone lets her get away with it.Despite the tension between my two best friends, the elephant in the room remained unaddressed, and now our group trip to Mexico is going to be awkward.Listen, we need to talk about the elephant in the room before it becomes an even bigger problem. I think we should see a couple’s therapist.Whether you call it an “elephant in the room” or a “white elephant in the room,” the meaning is pretty much the same. At least, the intent is. It represents a problem or issue causing discomfortor difficulty that needs to be addressed but is probably ignored because no one wants to deal with it.
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Meaning: If there is an elephant in the room, it means that an obvious problem is being ignored. Put another way, it is a noticeable issue that is not acknowledged or addressed. Example: Jim arrived at work and his clothes were soaking wet!
The origins of this phrase can be traced back to 1814 when John Galsworthy, an English novelist, wrote a play called “The Silver Box.” In this play, one character refers to an elephant in the room as a metaphor for something that is being ignored. However, it wasn’t until much later that this phrase became popularized.
It's uncertain how the phrase came to mean what it does, but there are a couple of theories about its origin. One is that it comes out of the first World War when "to lay an egg" meant "to drop a bomb"—hence, the figurative "to bomb."
Jun 14, 2017 · The question is: Where did it actually come from? Even though there are many theories and the exact origin is rather uncertain, there’s one that we’ve found quite credible. In 1814, Ivan Andreevich Krylov (1769-1844), poet and fabulist, wrote a fable entitled “The Inquisitive Man” which tells of a man who goes to a museum and notices ...
What's the origin of the phrase 'The elephant in the room'? The expression is of US origin, although the precise source isn't known. The meaning, if not the exact wording, dates from at least the 1950s and is possibly some years older than that.
