WHITEWASH
whitewash
(noun) a specious or deceptive clearing that attempts to gloss over failings and defects
whitewash
(noun) wash consisting of lime and size in water; used for whitening walls and other surfaces
whitewash
(noun) a defeat in which the losing person or team fails to score
whitewash
(verb) exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data
whitewash
(verb) cover with whitewash; “whitewash walls”
whitewash, gloss over, sleek over, hush up
(verb) cover up a misdemeanor, fault, or error; “Let’s not whitewash the crimes of Stalin”; “She tried to gloss over her mistakes”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
whitewash (countable and uncountable, plural whitewashes)
A lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.
(sports) A complete victory or series of victories without suffering any losses; a clean sweep.
(obsolete) Any liquid composition for whitening something, such as a wash for making the skin fair.
(politics) A campaign to paper over unfavorable elements.
Antonym: blackwash
Verb
whitewash (third-person singular simple present whitewashes, present participle whitewashing, simple past and past participle whitewashed)
To paint over with a lime and water mixture so as to brighten up a wall or fence.
(figurative) To cover over errors or bad actions.
Antonym: blackwash
(dated, transitive) To repay the financial debts of (another person).
(baseball, slang, dated, late, 19th century, archaic) To prevent a team from scoring any runs.
(US, UK, slang) In various games, to defeat (an opponent) so that they fail to score, or to reach a certain point in the game; to skunk.
(pejorative) To make over (a person or character, a group, an event, etc) so that it is or seems more white, for example by applying makeup to a person, or by covering over the participation of people of color in an event and focusing on only white participation.
Source: Wiktionary
White"wash` (, n.
1. Any wash or liquid composition for whitening something, as a wash
for making the skin fair. Addison.
2. A composition of line and water, or of whiting size, and water, or
the like, used for whitening walls, ceilings, etc.; milk of lime.
White"wash`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whitewashed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Whitewashing.]
1. To apply a white liquid composition to; to whiten with whitewash.
2. To make white; to give a fair external appearance to; to clear
from imputations or disgrace; hence, to clear (a bankrupt) from
obligation to pay debts.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition