WHITEWASH • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Whitewash

Add this Dictionary
to your website!
See more options...

/wˈaɪtwˌɑʃ/ /hwˈaɪtwˌɑʃ/ Listen

noun

Whitewash n.

1.

Any wash or liquid composition for whitening something, as a wash for making the skin fair.

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.

3.

A glossing over or cover up (of crimes or misfeasance).

verb

Whitewash v. t. (past & past part. whitewashed; pres. part. 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.

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.)

4.

To gloss over or cover up (crimes or misfeasance).

See images of 'Whitewash'

Etymology of 'Whitewash'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

Share |

"Whitewash" Quotes from Famous Books

... which he cannot translate. She collects little fragments of Roman brick, and wraps them up in tissue-paper for preservation at home like bride-cake. She is severe on restoration, and merciless on whitewash. She plunges, in fact, gallantly into the spirit of the thing, but she gracefully denudes it of its bareness and pedantry. Her bugle sings truce at midday for luncheon. She couches in the deep grass of the abbey ruins, and gathers ...

— Modern Women and What is Said of Them - A Reprint of A Series of Articles in the Saturday Review (1868) • Anonymous

... first time we had seen it set in from that quarter in such a southern latitude. In the Bechuana country, continuous rains are always from the northeast or east, while in Londa and Angola they are from the north. At Pungo Andongo, for instance, the whitewash is all removed from the north side of the houses. It cleared up, however, about midday, and Monze's sister conducted us a mile or two upon the road. On parting, she said that she had forwarded orders to a distant village to send food to the ...

— Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa - Journeys and Researches in South Africa • David Livingstone

... shaping of individuality and character. Habits, occupation, tastes, and desires mould a distinct personality out of the common clay. The experience of death cannot dissolve the personality. The death-process can neither whitewash a man's sin nor exalt him ...

— Mountain Meditations - and some subjects of the day and the war • L. Lind-af-Hageby

... him, all were still asleep when he reached the village, and he could hide himself in bed without any one seeing his deplorable plight. This was a great piece of good fortune for him, for he was covered with whitewash from head to foot, and so pale, haggard, and trembling that he might have been taken for the ghost of a miller ...

— Laboulaye's Fairy Book • Various

... removed by washing with soap and water, then whitewashing the stained part, letting it stand some hours, then washing off the whitewash, and rubbing the stained part with a flannel moistened with ...

— Enquire Within Upon Everything - The Great Victorian Domestic Standby • Anonymous

Copyright © 2025 e-Free Translation.com