white elephant
noun/ˌwaɪt ˈelɪfənt/
/ˌwaɪt ˈelɪfənt/
[usually singular]- a thing that has no use and is no longer needed, although it may have cost a lot of money
- The new office block has become an expensive white elephant.
Word OriginFrom the story that in Siam (now Thailand) the king would give a white elephant as a present to somebody that he did not like. That person would have to spend all their money on looking after the rare animal.
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white elephant