seen the elephant

seen the elephant

To have seen or experienced as much as one can endure. This term, which dates from the first half of the 1800s, uses “elephant” in the sense of a remarkable or surprising sight, practice, or the like. In the military, the phrase was used during the Mexican War of the 1840s to indicate having seen combat for the first time. In civilian life, the television show Gunsmoke (1974) had it: “I’ve had a checkered life. You might say I’ve seen the elephant.” See also elephant in the room.
See also: elephant, seen
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • price one has to pay
  • the price (one) has to pay
  • basinful
  • have had a basinful
  • have had a basinful (of something)
  • close (one's) eyes and think of England
  • England
  • lie back and think of England
  • shut (one's) eyes and think of England
  • have made your bed and have to lie on it
References in classic literature
There are great cleared flat places hidden away in the forests that are called elephants' ball-rooms, but even these are only found by accident, and no man has ever seen the elephants dance.
Jungle Book
In Zambia, he observed that the commitment to conservation had seen the elephant numbers rise, but encouraged his colleagues in the region to work hard in fighting poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
SADC chair takes swipe at global north on elephants
However, a servicemember who has "seen the elephant" and served in a war is justly entitled to be called a "War Veteran," and to be a "Peacekeeping Veteran" is no less honourable.
(What is a veteran?)
The conservation-conscious actress recalled the first time she'd seen the elephant, seven years ago.
Elephant girl Goldie's trunk call to India
As McPherson cites, "once they had seen the elephant, few Civil War soldiers were eager to see it again.
For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War
Inside the Jack Douglass Saloon, lounging against the long mahogany bar, a flirty barmaid crooks her index finger at a fellow and coos, "You haven't seen the elephant till you've spent the night with one of Madam Arabella's girls." Octavia Brown gasps in shock, mutters "Floozies!" - and all the visitors laugh.
Columbia
"The best thing was we were walking up the hill and all the crew had seen the elephant before me and they were all being dead weird and then, all of a sudden, I looked and there it was.
Travelogue is next step for Geordie Shore star
Rangers have not seen the elephant, but plan to drive it back into the forest, Ambu said.
Borneo pygmy elephant fatally gores Aussie tourist
Models like his Raven and Crowfoot which have 'seen the elephant' while being tested during combat operations in Afghanistan.
Gunner Grips from Simonich Knives LLC. (Quartermaster)
To use an American term, Barney has "seen the elephant" and served with distinction with the Queen's Own Rifles as an NCO and later as a Lieutenant, before being seriously wounded in Normandy in 1944.
Not bad for a sergeant: the memoirs of Barney Danson
The result is combat related through the eyes of men and women who have seen the elephant and others close to them, individuals who make known their doubts regarding the conduct, purpose, and chances of success in the two ongoing contingencies.
The Fighters: Americans in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq
Schlobach has seen the elephants in action and reports they are majestic and agile.
Teak: the ironwood of China