whitewash

Meanings

Noun

• A lime and water mixture for painting walls and fences bright white.
• A complete victory or series of victories without suffering any losses; a clean sweep.
• A campaign to paper over unfavorable elements.
• The most basic type of thickening agent, flour blended with water to make a paste.
• Any liquid composition for whitening something, such as a wash for making the skin fair.
• A glass of sherry as a finale, after drinking port and claret.

Verb

• To paint over with a lime and water mixture so as to brighten up a wall or fence.
• To cover over errors or bad actions.
• To repay the financial debts of (another person).
• To prevent a team from scoring any runs.
• In various games, to defeat (an opponent) so that they fail to score, or to reach a certain point in the game; to skunk.
• To make over (a person or character, a group, an event, etc) so that it is or seems more white, for example by applying makeup to a person, or by discounting the participation of people of color in an event and focusing on only white participation.

Origin

• white + wash