white elephant
idiom
A costly and useless possession that is hard to get rid of
- 1The old mansion became a white elephant after the family moved out.
- 2The new stadium turned into a white elephant when the team relocated.
A white elephant is something expensive that you own but don't need or want. It's hard to sell or give away because it's not useful to anyone. It's like having a fancy, but useless, item that you can't get rid of.
Remember, just because something is expensive doesn't mean it's valuable to you. Before buying, ask yourself if it's truly necessary or if it might become a "white elephant" in the future.
at the hospital storage room
The Unused Equipment
Kenneth
We need to clear out some space in this storage room.
Carol
I agree, but what should we do with that old MRI machine?
Kenneth
It's become a white elephant; it costs too much to maintain and we never use it.
Carol
Let's see if we can donate it to a facility that might need it.
at the laundromat
The Unwanted Gift
Susan
I finally got rid of that treadmill in my garage.
Laura
Oh, was it that bad?
Susan
Yeah, it was a real white elephant.
Laura
I know the feeling, I had a bread maker like that once.
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Similar to "white elephant":
- 1burden
- 2liability