branquear

Senses

1. 1.

   to whiten, to bleach

   to make something white or lighter in color

2. 2.

   to launder (money)

   to conceal the origins of illegally obtained money

3. 3.

   to turn pale, to go white

   to lose color, especially due to fear or shock

Examples

• "Ela branqueou as roupas com água sanitária."

  She bleached the clothes with bleach.

• "Os criminosos foram presos por branquear dinheiro do tráfico."

  The criminals were arrested for laundering drug money.

• "Ele branqueou quando viu o acidente."

  He turned pale when he saw the accident.

Usage

Common in both literal (bleaching/whitening) and figurative contexts. "Branquear dinheiro" (money laundering) is a frequent collocation in news and legal contexts. The verb can be used intransitively when referring to someone's face turning pale.