# wash a blackamoor white

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/wash-a-blackamoor-white
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To labour in vain, especially so as to present something as better than it really is; to whitewash.

## Examples

- Trying to change his bad reputation is like trying to wash a blackamoor white.
- The company tried to hide its history of corruption, but it was like trying to wash a blackamoor white.
- The politician's attempt to rebrand his disastrous legacy was a futile effort, akin to trying to wash a blackamoor white.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.