# What does ‘a white elephant’ mean?

To “a white elephant” means to a costly possession that is more trouble than it is worth. Brewer's records the tradition attributed to Siamese kings, who reputedly gave sacred white elephants to courtiers they disliked; the animal was ruinously expensive to keep.

## What it means

- Brewer's records the tradition attributed to Siamese kings, who reputedly gave sacred white elephants to courtiers they disliked; the animal was ruinously expensive to keep.

## Action steps

1. Common in real estate and public works.
2. Example: The old stadium is a white elephant for the city.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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