[n] a specious or deceptive clearing that attempts to gloss over failings and defects
[n] wash consisting of lime and size in water; used for whitening walls and other surfaces
[v] exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data
[v] cover with whitewash; as of walls
[v] cover up a misdemeanor; "Let's not whitewash the crimes of Stalin"