1590s, "to wash a building surface with white liquid," from white (adj.) + wash (v.). Figurative sense of "to cover up, conceal, give a false appearance of cleanness to" is attested from 1762. Related: Whitewashed; whitewashing. The noun is recorded from 1690s; in the figurative sense from 1851. The earlier verb was whitelime (c. 1300).
双语例句
1. The report's findings were condemned as total whitewash.
这份报告最后的结论被谴责为彻头彻尾的粉饰。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The opposition claimed the report was a whitewash.
反对派声称这份报告文过饰非。
来自《权威词典》
3. They tried hard to whitewash themselves.
他们力图粉饰自己.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. What he said was a load of whitewash.
他所说的是一大堆粉饰之词.
来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
5. He pledged that there would be no whitewash and that the police would carry out a full investigation.
