1
whitewash sth
动词用法，表示“粉饰、掩盖”，后接名词或代词作宾语。
They tried to whitewash the whole affair.
他们试图粉饰整件事。
零分惨败
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
零分惨败
a defeat in which the losing person or team fails to score
They tried to whitewash the whole affair.
他们试图粉饰整件事。
A mixture of a powdered mineral substance (often slaked lime (containing calcium hydroxide), chalk (calcium carbonate), or both) and water which is used for painting surfaces such as fences and walls bright white.
零分失利
a defeat in which the losing person or team fails to score
A thing used to hide mistakes, or to create an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc.; also (often politics), an act of hiding mistakes or creating an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc.; especially, a campaign, investigation, etc., which intentionally hides or overlooks unfavourable facts.
石灰浆
wash consisting of lime and size in water; used for whitening walls and other surfaces
The final game was a whitewash; our team didn't score a single point.
最后一场比赛是一场零分的惨败；我们队一分未得。
After the whitewash in the first match, the coach changed the entire lineup.
第一场比赛遭遇零分惨败后，教练更换了全部阵容。
They suffered a humiliating whitewash in the championship final.
他们在冠军决赛中遭遇了耻辱性的零分惨败。
动词用法，表示“粉饰、掩盖”，后接名词或代词作宾语。
They tried to whitewash the whole affair.
他们试图粉饰整件事。
动词的被动语态，强调事件被掩盖，施动者常省略。
The incident was whitewashed by the officials.
这起事件被官员们粉饰了。
名词用法，指输方得零分的比赛结果，常用于体育赛事。
The match was a whitewash, with the home team winning 5–0.
这场比赛是一场零封惨败，主队以5比0获胜。
Not this
The match ended in whitewash.
Use this
The match ended in a whitewash.
whitewash 表示“零封惨败”时为可数名词，单数前须加不定冠词 a；中文的“一场”不体现在冠词上，容易漏掉。
Not this
The team suffered three whitewash this season.
Use this
The team suffered three whitewashes this season.
whitewash 在这个义项下是可数名词，复数形式为 whitewashes；中文名词没有复数变化，容易漏掉 -es 后缀。
Not this
The team took a whitewash in the final.
Use this
The team suffered a whitewash in the final.
whitewash（零封惨败）的常用搭配是 suffer a whitewash，不用 take；中文“遭遇惨败”的“遭遇”对应 suffer，不可直译成 take。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
遭受零分惨败
The home team suffered a whitewash in the final match.
主队在决赛中遭受零分惨败。
彻底的零分惨败
It was a complete whitewash, with the visitors winning all five sets.
这是一场彻底的零分惨败，客队赢下了全部五局。
5比0的零分惨败
The defending champions suffered a 5-0 whitewash in the series.
卫冕冠军在系列赛中以0比5惨遭零封。
使某人遭遇零分惨败
The home side handed their rivals a whitewash.
主队让对手遭遇零分惨败。
粉饰；掩盖
The report was dismissed as a whitewash.
这份报告被认为是粉饰之作而被驳回。
粉饰，掩盖（问题、过失等）
Officials tried to whitewash over the scandal.
官员们试图掩盖这一丑闻。
掩盖事实
He attempted to whitewash the facts of the case.
他试图掩盖案件的真相。
一个男孩儿能每天都有机会给篱笆刷白漆吗？
In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom pretends that whitewashing Aunt Polly's fence is a rare privilege.
在马克·吐温的《汤姆·索亚历险记》中，汤姆假装给波莉姨妈家的篱笆刷白漆是一件难得的乐事。
Use whitewash naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
想想记分牌上对手得分被刷成一片白（0），像被洗掉一样，对手一球未进，就是whitewash零分惨败。
语域：informal 常见场景：sports reporting、casual conversation about matches、news headlines 该义项指比赛中一分未得的惨败，通常用于体育报道或日常谈论比赛，属于较口语化的说法；在正式书面文体中较少出现，可改用更正式的表达。
在美式发音中，whitewash 的第二音节是 /twɑʃ/，与 wash /wɑʃ/、squash /skwɑʃ/、quash /kwɑʃ/、posh /pɑʃ/ 押韵，因为它们都以 /ɑʃ/ 结尾。注意 whitefish 虽以 white 开头，但读作 /ˈwaɪtfɪʃ/，与 whitewash /ˈwaɪˌtwɑʃ/ 读音不同，不押韵。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.