white elephant in the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

Translations for white elephant in the English»French Dictionary

white elephant N pej

1. white elephant (item, knick-knack):

white elephant

bibelot m

2. white elephant (public project):

white elephant

réalisation f coûteuse et peu rentable

white elephant stall N

white elephant stall

stand m de bibelots

Translations for white elephant in the English»French Dictionary

elephant [Brit ˈɛlɪf(ə)nt, Am ˈɛləfənt] N

elephant

éléphant m

to have a memory like an elephant

avoir une mémoire d'éléphant

to see pink elephants

voir des éléphants roses, avoir des hallucinations

the elephant in the room

le problème criant qu'on décide d'ignorer

See also baby elephant

baby elephant N

baby elephant

éléphanteau m

I.white [Brit wʌɪt, Am (h)waɪt] N

1. white (colour):

white

blanc m

I like white

j'aime le blanc

in white

en blanc

a shade of white

un ton de blanc

2. white (part of egg, eye):

white

blanc m

the whites of sb's eyes

le blanc des yeux de qn

3. white:

white, a. White (Caucasian)

Blanc/Blanche m/f

4. white (white ball):

white

bille f blanche (de billard/snooker)

5. white (wine):

white

blanc m

6. white (in chess, draughts):

white

blancs mpl

I'll be white

je prends les blancs

white wins

les blancs gagnent

Phrases:

white, a. White POL (reactionary)

Blanc/Blanche m/f

II.whites N npl

1. whites (clothes):

cricket/tennis/chef's whites

tenue f de cricket/de tennis/de chef-cuisinier

2. whites MED (leucorrhoea):

whites

pertes fpl blanches

III.white [Brit wʌɪt, Am (h)waɪt] ADJ

1. white paint, tooth, flower, hair:

white

blanc/blanche

bright/cool white

blanc éclatant/glacial

inv to go or turn white

devenir blanc, blanchir

to turn sth white

faire blanchir qc

to paint/colour sth white

peindre/colorer qc en blanc

2. white (Caucasian):

white race, child, skin

blanc/blanche

white area

habité par des Blancs

white culture, prejudice, fears

des Blancs

a white man/woman

un Blanc/une Blanche

an all-white jury

un jury exclusivement composé de Blancs

3. white (pale):

white face, person, cheek

pâle (with de)

to go or turn white

pâlir (with de)

IV.white [Brit wʌɪt, Am (h)waɪt]

he would swear black was white

il a l'esprit de contradiction

the men in white coats hum

les infirmiers psychiatriques

two blacks don't make a white

on n'efface pas un tort par un autre

whiter than white reputation, person:

plus blanc/blanche que neige

white elephant in the PONS Dictionary

Translations for white elephant in the English»French Dictionary

white elephant N

white elephant

chose f sans utilité

Translations for white elephant in the English»French Dictionary

elephant [ˈelɪfənt] N

elephant

éléphant

I.white [waɪt] ADJ

white

blanc(he)

Phrases:

whiter than white

plus blanc que neige

to turn white with fear

pâlir de peur

II.white [waɪt] N

1. white (colour, of egg, eye):

white

blanc m

2. white (person):

white

Blanc(he) m (f)

See also blue

I.blue [blu:] ADJ

1. blue (colour):

blue

bleu(e)

a light/dark/bright/strong blue skirt

une jupe bleu clair/foncé/vif/soutenu

to turn blue

bleuir

2. blue fig:

to feel blue

broyer du noir

Phrases:

once in a blue moon

tous les trente-six du mois

out of the blue

sans crier gare

II.blue [blu:] N

blue

bleu m

sky blue

bleu ciel

the door is painted blue

la porte est peinte en bleu

to be a pale/deep blue

être d'un bleu pâle/profond

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

English

By 1939, local newspapers were already describing the station as a white elephant.

en.wikipedia.org

She had a vivid dream foretelling her pregnancy in which a white elephant featured prominently.

en.wikipedia.org

When the white elephant died, he spent many years looking for another one.

en.wikipedia.org

It was termed a white elephant due to its difficulty as a track.

en.wikipedia.org

White elephant parties have been known to result in playful rivalries between players trying to get sought-after items.

en.wikipedia.org

The phrase was attached to white elephant swaps and white elephant sales in the early twentieth century.

en.wikipedia.org

The goal of a white elephant party is usually to entertain rather than to gain.

en.wikipedia.org

Holiday groups use a gift exchange party game such as white elephant gift exchange for socializing and sharing gifts.

en.wikipedia.org

A white elephant has become a term referring to an expensive burden, particularly when much has been invested with false expectations.

en.wikipedia.org

The lower left quadrant (dexter base) depicts a white elephant on a red field.

en.wikipedia.org