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Origin of Phrases - W
White Elephant
Meaning: Something that is costly to obtain or maintain and provides little benefit or value.
Example: The London Bridge became a white elephant. The bridge was relocated to Havasu City Arizona, where it now remains as a tourist attraction.
Origin: From the Burmese belief that albino elephants are sacred. They can't be used for work and they must be lavished with the ultimate amount of care.
Giving a gift of a white elephant would be done to someone considered an enemy. The idea being that you would eventually wipe out your enemy's wealth with the care of the sacred elephant.
Why would anyone accept such a gift from an enemy? Better yet, why would anyone buy a white elephant for oneself?
In the late 1800's P.T. Barnum of circus fame did precisely that. Barnum heard of a sacred white elephant in India. Thinking it would be an excellent attraction, he sent an agent to buy it sight unseen.
When the animal arrived in Bridgeport, CT, Barnum was horrified to see that it was covered with large pinkish splotches and was not white at all. The public was not impressed and Barnum had to keep his "white elephant" hidden from public view in a stable while he tried to decide what to do with it. Although it was useless to him, he had actually paid a lot of money for it.
Incidentally, the elephant died later when the stable in which it was hidden accidentally burned to the ground.