What does "purple elephant" mean?

[Jenny Lau]

Thank you very much indeed, John D,it does help:)

[Jenny Lau]

Here is the context I find:

Angela: Hi, Anna.
Anna: Hi, Angela.
Angela: How are you?
Anna: Fine. No,not fine.I can't sleep very well at the moment.
Angela: Really?
Anna: And I have terrible dreams: the same dream every night.
Angela: What happens?
Anna: Well, in my dream, I see hundreds of purple elephants.Angela: Have you seen the doctor?
Anna: No ...
Angela: ... Just the purple elephants.
Anna: Oh, you've heard it before.

Then what do u think about "purple elephant"?

[RonBee]

Here is the context I find:

Angela: Hi, Anna.
Anna: Hi, Angela.
Angela: How are you?
Anna: Fine. No,not fine.I can't sleep very well at the moment.
Angela: Really?
Anna: And I have terrible dreams: the same dream every night.
Angela: What happens?
Anna: Well, in my dream, I see hundreds of purple elephants.Angela: Have you seen the doctor?
Anna: No ...
Angela: ... Just the purple elephants.
Anna: Oh, you've heard it before.

Then what do u think about "purple elephant"?

That explains a great deal. The term purple elephant is not a common expression, but instead it is related to what is going on in that character's life. It's hard to tell what it meant to Anna to see purple elephants in her dreams. To understand that I would have to know more about Anna. No doubt they mean something to Anna that they don't mean to me. Indeed, to me a purple elephant is just an elephant that is purple. Since purple elephants aren't real, they must be imaginary elephants.

8)

[Lib]

I think it means just that - purple elephants. Nothing figurative, no metaphor .. just purple elephants. It's a joke. Not a great one, but a joke anyway.

[Jenny Lau]

Yeah, I totally undertand now! Thank you all:)

[amiemaydo]

Thank you all!

would my purple elephant look big if i put it in the monkey dishwasher?

[amiemaydo]

everything is therefore a purple elephant.....what about a purple monkey, anyone ever heard of that?

[amiemaydo]

Thank you all!

would my purple elephant look big if i put it in the monkey dishwasher?

everything is therefore a purple elephant.....what about a purple monkey, anyone ever heard of that?

[shane]

Purple rain? :wink:

[RonBee]

Thank you all!

would my purple elephant look big if i put it in the monkey dishwasher?

Um, what's a monkey dishwasher?

:wink: