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eyewash

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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English

Etymology

From eye +‎ wash.

Pronunciation

Noun

eyewash (usually uncountable, plural eyewashes)

  2. (countable, uncountable) The washing out of the eyes with copious solution (usually water alone) to quickly remove an irritant, as for example in laboratories and industrial plants; the washing solution itself.
    an eyewash station on every floor of the building
    a bottle of eyewash
  4. (countable, uncountable) A soothing medicated lotion for the eyes.
  6. (uncountable, slang, figurative) Camouflage; disguise; false front; pretense; nonsense.
    • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter XI, in Jeeves in the Offing:
      Talking of being eaten by dogs, there's a dachshund at Brinkley who when you first meet him will give you the impression that he plans to convert you into a light snack between his regular meals. Pay no attention. It's all eyewash. […] He wouldn't hurt a fly, but he has to put up a front because his name's Poppet. One can readily appreciate that when a dog hears himself addressed day in and day out as Poppet, he feels he must throw his weight about. His self-respect demands it.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

eyewash (third-person singular simple present eyewashes, present participle eyewashing, simple past and past participle eyewashed)

  1. To fool with nonsense or flattery.
  2. (intelligence) To keep information secret by sending false information to many people in one's own organization, and correct information to a select few.
    • 2016 January 31, “‘Eyewash’: How the CIA deceives its own workforce about operations”, in The New York Times‎:
      But others said that eyewashing was a standard security practice that had been in existence for decades.

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