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Showing results for "elephants"
Synonyms

elephants

British  
/ ˈɛlɪfənts /

adjective

  1. slang drunk; intoxicated

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of elephants

C20: shortened from elephant's trunk, rhyming slang for drunk

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He boxes to relax, and as an early inspiration cites the Roman general Scipio, who with shrewd tactics defeated Carthaginian Hannibal and his war elephants to win a seemingly impossible battle.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 8, 2026

He sat to review black-and-white footage from a camera he helped locate, describing "pride" at the sight of pig-tailed macaques, endangered wild dogs called dholes and his favourite, elephants.

From Barron's Jun. 25, 2026

The site also contained stone tools along with the remains of elephants and other animals, suggesting the area was once used for butchering prey near the edge of an ancient lake.

From Science Daily May 24, 2026

Founded in 1977, the Sheldrick Wildlife is renowned for its care of orphaned elephants and rhinos, rescuing and reintegrating them into the wild.

From BBC May 6, 2026

“Do you think the other elephants will like me?”

From "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate

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