411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Persilschein
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
German
Etymology
Compound of de Persil<gloss:a brand of laundry detergent> Schein<t:ticket, document> with the implication of "washing oneself clean (of association)".
Pronunciation
de /pɛʁˈziːlʃaɪ̯n/
de De-Persilschein.ogg <<Germany>> (<<Berlin>>)
Noun
m,(e)s
de historical humorous in post-WW2 Germany, a written attestation of not having been a collaborator or associated with the Nazi regime, penned by a third party
de informal figurative humorous an exoneration or dismissal of someone being responsible for past harm the exoneration is often implied to be incorrect or dishonest
de informal figurative by extension carte blanche, free rein a dismissal of the possibility of future harm, effectively allowing someone to do as they please
de Freifahrtschein Freibrief
Declension
m,(e)s
Further reading