elephant trapとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源

Emmanuel Frémiet, Jeune éléphant pris au piège (Young Elephant Caught in a Trap, 1878),^{[n 1]} a sculpture depicting an elephant ensnared in a trap. The term elephant trap is used figuratively to mean a trap that only inexperienced or incompetent people would fall for.

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.

発音

• (Received 発音) IPA^(key): /ˈɛlɪf(ə)nt ˌtɹæp/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɛləfənt ˌtɹæp/
• ハイフネーション: ele‧phant trap

名詞

elephant trap (複数形 elephant traps) (figuratively)

1. A trap which can easily be avoided by a competent person, and thus proves the incompetence of anybody trapped by it.

   To show he doesn’t do his fair share of work, I’ve set him an elephant trap. If he falls in he’ll look like a clown.

2. (chess) 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.

Notes