whitewash

Meanings

1. A mixture of a powdered mineral substance (often slaked lime (containing calcium hydroxide), chalk (calcium carbonate), or both) and water which is used for painting surfaces such as fences and walls bright white.
2. A thing used to hide mistakes, or to create an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc.; also (often politics), an act of hiding mistakes or creating an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc.; especially, a campaign, investigation, etc., which intentionally hides or overlooks unfavourable facts.
3. An act of clearing a person's debts, especially through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court.
4. A complete victory or series of victories without suffering any losses; a clean sweep; also, a victory or series of victories by a very large margin.
5. The most basic type of thickening agent, consisting of flour blended with water to make a paste.
6. A preparation for making the skin look lighter.
7. Any of several medicinal preparations for treating skin diseases consisting of a mixture of a metallic compound (such as one of lead, sulfur, or zinc) and water.
8. White wine, especially Madeira or sherry, drunk after dinner or after taking claret and port; (countable) a glass of such wine.

1. To paint (a building, a wall, etc.) a bright white with whitewash (noun sense 1).
2. To distort or give a misleading account of (history, a narrative, etc.) by discounting the participation of people of colour and focusing on white people.
3. To cast a white actor in a role for a person of colour in (a film, television programme, etc.).
4. To make over (someone of colour) so that they appear more white, for example, by applying lightening makeup to their skin or digitally manipulating an image of them.
5. To cover or coat (something) with a white substance, as if with whitewash (noun sense 1); also, to light up (something) with white light.
6. To clear (someone's) debts, especially through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court; also, to clear or write off (a debt).
7. To hide (someone's) mistakes, or to create an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc., for (someone); also, to intentionally hide or overlook (mistakes, unfavourable facts, wrongdoing, etc.).
8. To achieve a complete victory or series of victories over (an opponent) without suffering any losses; also, to achieve a victory or series of victories over (an opponent) by a very large margin.
9. To make (the face, etc.) look lighter with makeup or a similar preparation.
10. Synonym of bleach (“to treat (fabric) with a substance which lightens or whitens”).
11. To paint bright white with whitewash (noun sense 1).
12. To have debts cleared through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court.

Etymology

The noun is derived from white (adjective) + wash (noun). Noun sense 5.1 (“medicinal preparation for treating skin diseases”) is a calque of New Latin lōtiō alba (literally “white wash”). The verb is derived partly from white (adjective) + wash (verb), and partly from the noun.

Translations