From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Whitewash \White"wash`\, n.
[1913 Webster]
1. Any wash or liquid composition for whitening something, as
a wash for making the skin fair. --Addison.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
3. a glossing over or cover up (of crimes or misfeasance).
[PJC]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Whitewash \White"wash`\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Whitewashed}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Whitewashing}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To apply a white liquid composition to; to whiten with
whitewash.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
3. In various games, to defeat (an opponent) so that he fails
to score, or to reach a certain point in the game; to
skunk. [Colloq., U. S.]
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
4. to gloss over or cover up (crimes or misfeasance).
[PJC]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
whitewash
n 1: a defeat in which the losing person or team fails to score
2: wash consisting of lime and size in water; used for whitening
walls and other surfaces
3: a specious or deceptive clearing that attempts to gloss over
failings and defects
v 1: cover up a misdemeanor, fault, or error; "Let's not
whitewash the crimes of Stalin"; "She tried to gloss over
her mistakes" [syn: {whitewash}, {gloss over}, {sleek
over}, {hush up}]
2: cover with whitewash; "whitewash walls"
3: exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through
biased presentation of data
|
