Whitewash
WordNet
noun
(1) A specious or deceptive clearing that attempts to gloss over failings and defects
(2) Wash consisting of lime and size in water; used for whitening walls and other surfaces
(3) A defeat in which the losing person or team fails to score
verb
(4) Exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data
(5) Cover with whitewash
"Whitewash walls"
(6) Cover up a misdemeanor, fault, or error
"Let's not whitewash the crimes of Stalin"
"She tried to gloss over her mistakes"
WiktionaryText
Noun
- a lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.
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- 1952: For walls plaster gave a smooth white surface; or if it was not sufficiently white, or had become discoloured, it could be brightened up with a coat of whitewash or paint. — L.F. Salzman, Building in England, p. 157.
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- A victory without reply
Verb
- To paint over with a lime and water mixture so as to brighten up a wall or fence.
- The houses looked very bright when they whitewashed the whole neighborhood.
- To cover over errors or bad actions.
- In his sermon, the minister didn't try to whitewash over the sins of his church.
- To prevent a team from scoring any runs.