(whitewashes, whitewashing, whitewashed)
1.
Whitewash is a mixture of lime or chalk and water that is used for painting walls white.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
If a wall or building has been whitewashed, it has been painted white with whitewash.
The walls had been whitewashed.
...a town of picturesque whitewashed cottages.
VERB: be V-ed, V-ed
3.
If you say that people whitewash something, you are accusing them of hiding the unpleasant facts or truth about it in order to make it acceptable.
The administration is whitewashing the regime's actions...
= cover up
VERB: V n [disapproval]
4.
Whitewash is an attempt to hide the unpleasant facts or truth about someone or something.
He pledged that there would be no whitewash and that the police would carry out a full investigation...
N-UNCOUNT: also a N [disapproval]