Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
A trap which can easily be avoided by a competent person, and thus proves the incompetence of anybody trapped by it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Often in the form Elephant Trap: a faulty attempt by White to win a pawn in a popular variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, which is generally only effective against inexperienced players.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Topics: board-games, chess, games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From elephant + trap, alluding to the fact that a trap for an elephant needs to be quite large, and so ought to be easily seen.
Across languages
8 source translations are retained for this English entry.
