Dictionary

To paint over with a lime and water mixture so as to brighten up a wall or fence.

Example: The houses looked very bright when they whitewashed the whole neighborhood.

To cover over errors or bad actions.

Example: In his sermon, the minister didn't try to whitewash over the sins of his church.

To repay the financial debts of (another person).

(late, 19th century) To prevent a team from scoring any runs.

The application of whitewash.

The effacement of errors or bad actions.

The revisionist portrayal of something as to over-favor the Caucasian/white populaces.