whitewash something

whitewash something {v.}, {informal}

To explain a major, national scandal in soothing official terms so as to assure the public that things are under control and there is no need to panic.

Many people in the United States believe that President Kennedy's assassination was whitewashed by the Warren Commission.

See: WHITEWASH.

Categories:

Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

To section: W

Subscribe to: American Idioms

✉

Our RSS-channels

Show All

See as well

whitewash

[whitewash] {n.}, {informal} A soothing official report that attempts to tranquilize the public. * /Some people believe that the Warren Commission's report on the Kennedy assassination was a whitewash./ A Dictionary of American Idioms

open letter

[open letter] {n. phr.} A public message in the form of a letter addressed to a particular person or to a group. * /There was an open letter to the […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

lame duck

[lame duck] {n.}, {informal} An elected public official who has been either defeated in a new election or whose term cannot be renewed, but who has a short period of […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

come out for

[come out for] {v. phr.} To support; declare oneself in favor of another, especially during a political election. * /Candidates for the presidency of the United States are anxious for […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

Recent updates

бешеные деньги

[бешеные деньги] или [безумные деньги] или [сумасшедшие деньги] или […]

pass by the board

[pass by the board] See: [GO BY THE BOARD].

put by

[put by] {v.} To save for the future; lay aside. * /He had put by a good sum during a working lifetime./

Arjay Miller, Dean of Stanford GSB

Don't do anything you wouldn't be willing to explain on television.