[noun] [U not after the] - the British civil service (= officials employed to perform the work of the British government)Traditionally, newspaper editors seek advice from Whitehall before publishing information relating to 'national security'.The Minister claimed that the government's plans were being obstructed by Whitehall.
WHITEHALL
Meaning of WHITEHALL in English
Cambridge English vocab. Кембриджский английский словарь. 2012