A big grey animal which features in the phrase elephant in the room. Here it can mean anything you like that reminds you of an elephant in a confined space, such as:
1) A thing that'
s big, really big, and everybody is embarassed by the sight of it, so they pretend it isn't there:
maybe it
will go away.
2) Something so big you can think of
nothing else but it.
3) A thing too big to
fit, but after a while you get used to it, maybe even get to like it; it defines a scary new lifestyle.
All of these describe teenage obsessions, hence the title of Gus van Sant's teenage obsession movie Elephant.
"Elephant, what elephant?"
"I'd like two
eggs and an elephant,
please. Oops, sorry, I meant two eggs and a
sausage"
"Please be gentle, this is my first time with an elephant"