whitewash

Meaning

Noun

1. (uncountable) 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. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) 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. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) An act of clearing a person's debts, especially through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court.
4. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) 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. (uncountable) The most basic type of thickening agent, consisting of flour blended with water to make a paste.
6. (countable, historical) A preparation for making the skin look lighter.
7. (countable, obsolete) 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. (obsolete, slang, uncountable) White wine, especially Madeira or sherry, drunk after dinner or after taking claret and port; (countable) a glass of such wine.

Verb

1. (transitive) To paint (a building, a wall, etc.) a bright white with whitewash (noun sense 1).
2. (derogatory, figuratively, transitive) 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. (derogatory, figuratively, transitive) 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.
4. (derogatory, figuratively, transitive) 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.
5. (figuratively, literary, poetic, transitive) 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. (figuratively, transitive) To clear (someone's) debts, especially through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court; also, to clear or write off (a debt).
7. (figuratively, often, transitive) 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. (figuratively, informal, transitive) 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. (archaic, historical, transitive) To make (the face, etc.) look lighter with makeup or a similar preparation.
10. (obsolete, transitive) Synonym of bleach (“to treat (fabric) with a substance which lightens or whitens”).
11. (intransitive) To paint bright white with whitewash (noun sense 1).
12. (figuratively, intransitive) To have debts cleared through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court.
13. (archaic, intransitive) Of bricks: to become encrusted with a white layer of soluble salts due to efflorescence.

Opposite of

blackwash

Synonyms

whiten

lime

bleach

whiting

gloss over

paint

limewash

hush up

extenuate

plaster

cover up

ceruse

sleek over

deliver

disencumber

disengage

dispense

emancipate

enfranchise

exempt

exonerate

face powder

flour

free

🆓

let off

liberate

limewater

make up

manumit

mask

😷

mortar

powder

redeem

release

relieve

remit

rescue

set free

slaughter

smooth over

spell

unblock

unchain

uncork

unfreeze

wash

🧽

let go of

lime water

make white

paint white

Translations

blanquear

weißen

tünchen

imbiancare

witten

caiar

blanchir

encalar

ασβεστώνω

sbiancare

kalken

chaux

witkalk

emblanquir

bleichen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈwaɪt.wɒʃ/

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.