whitewash
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: note: Received Pronunciation, wine–whine merger
ipa: /ˈwaɪtwɒʃ/
ipa: /ˈʍaɪtˌwɑʃ/
ipa: /ˈʍɐɪt-/
note: wine–whine merger
ipa: /ˈwaɪt-/
note: Canadian raising
ipa: /ˈʍɐɪtˌwɑʃ/
note: wine–whine merger
ipa: /ˈwɐɪt-/
Forms: form: whitewashes
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.
Senses: examples: text: For walls plaster gave a smooth white surface; or if it was not sufficiently white, or had become discoloured, it could be brightened up with a coat of whitewash or paint.
ref: 1952, L. F. Salzman, Building in England, page 157:
glosses: 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.
examples: text: “She has developed an arrogance of power,” Mr. Richardson said by telephone during a layover in Tokyo on his way back to New Mexico from Myanmar. “I’ve known her a long time and am fond of her, but she basically is unwilling to listen to bad news, and I don’t want to be part of a whitewash.”
ref: 2018 January 24, Hannah Beech, Rick Gladstone, “Citing ‘Whitewash,’ Bill Richardson Quits Rohingya Post”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
text: A report by the City watchdog into the scandal at Royal Bank of Scotland’s turnaround unit has been described as a whitewash after the regulator confirmed it would not punish the bank for mistreating business customers following the financial crash.
ref: 2019 June 13, Kalyeena Makortoff, “FCA report into RBS called a 'complete whitewash' by critics”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
antonyms: blackwash
coordinate_terms: eyewash#English: pretense
glosses: 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.
topics: business
glosses: An act of clearing a person's debts, especially through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court.
examples: text: For the first time in a long time, Australia are being threatened with the prospect of a 5-0 whitewash
ref: 2010, Andrew Miller, Cricinfo:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: 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.
topics: cooking
food
lifestyle
glosses: The most basic type of thickening agent, consisting of flour blended with water to make a paste.
examples: text: I have heard a whole Sermon against a White-wash.
ref: 1713, Joseph Addison, The Guardian:
topics: cosmetics
lifestyle
glosses: A preparation for making the skin look lighter.
topics: medicine
pharmacology
sciences
glosses: 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.
examples: text: The bottles, however, were port bottles, but contained mushroom ketchup; and we can only say with regard to the 15s. sherry, that it would have made an admirable "whitewash," as Sheridan's glass is still sometimes called, […]
ref: 1883, Cassell's Dictionary of Cookery, page lxxxiii:
text: Sercial was also used as a sort of white-wash after the Port at dinner, those were the days when people had time to drink both Port and a White wash.
ref: 1950, Wine & the Wine Trade, page 28:
topics: beverages
food
lifestyle
oenology
wine
glosses: White wine, especially Madeira or sherry, drunk after dinner or after taking claret and port; (countable) a glass of such wine.
Derived terms: word: whitewashed
word: whitewash gum
Related terms: colourwash