elephant trap

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A trap which can easily be avoided by a competent person, and thus proves the incompetence of anybody trapped by it.
  2. 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.

Pronunciation

/ˈɛlɪf(ə)nt ˌtɹæp/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-elephant trap.wav /ˈɛləfənt ˌtɹæp/

Word forms

elephant trap elephant traps

Etymology

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.

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