whet
/ˈwɛt/ verb, noun
Forms whets whetting whetted whettest whettedst whetteth
- verb (archaic) To sharpen (something, such as a knife or sword) by rubbing on an object, especially a whetstone; to hone.
- verb Of an animal such as a boar: to sharpen (its horns, teeth, tusks, etc.) by rubbing on a stone, etc., in preparation for an attack.
- verb To make more keen or to stimulate (someone's appetite, interest, etc.); to hone, to sharpen. “to whet one's appetite or one's courage”
- verb (obsolete) To encourage (someone) to do something; to incite, to urge.
- verb (obsolete) To inculcate or teach (habits, information, etc.).
- verb (obsolete, rare) Of a bird: to preen (its feathers).
- verb To make more keen; to stimulate.
- verb To prepare for an attack.
- noun An act of sharpening something by rubbing on an object, especially a whetstone.
- noun An occasion to do something; a go, a turn.
- noun A period of time between two sharpenings of a scythe.
- noun An item of drink or food consumed as an appetizer or to ward off hunger until a meal; specifically, a small amount of liquor drunk as an appetizer; a dram, a nip.
- noun A thing which makes one's desire, interest, etc., more keen; an incitement, an inducement.
Synonyms
steel strop rouse animate awaken electrify enflame enkindle enthrill exagitate excite exhilarate exsuscitate fillip fire fire the blood galvanize gin up ignite inflame quicken
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English whetten (“to make the edge of (a sword, tool, etc.) sharp; to grunt, snort; to scrape the ground with (one’s feet); to make a chattering or grinding sound; (figurative) of a person: to prepare for battle; to make (one’s wit) alert or keen; to strengthen (one’s heart or will); to incite, provoke”), from Old English hwettan (“to sharpen, whet; (figurative) to encourage, incite”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwattjan (“to sharpen, whet”), from Proto-Germanic *hwatjaną (“to sharpen, whet; (figurative) to incite, instigate”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₁d- (“sharp”).
Verb sense 1.3.3 (“to inculcate or teach (habits, information, etc.)”) is from Deuteronomy 6:6–7 in the Bible (New International Version): “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.” The word translated as impress is Hebrew שָׁנַן (shanán, “to be sharp; to sharpen, whet”).
The noun is derived from the verb.
* Dialectal Danish hvæde (“to whet”)
* Dutch wetten (“to whet, sharpen”)
* German wetzen (“to whet, sharpen”)
* Icelandic hvetja (“to whet, encourage, catalyze”)
Webster’s 1913
- verb To rub or on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening; to sharpen by attrition; as, to whet a knife.
- verb To make sharp, keen, or eager; to excite; to stimulate; as, to whet the appetite or the courage.
- noun The act of whetting.
- noun That which whets or sharpens; esp., an appetizer. "Sips, drams, and whets." Spectator. Whet slate (Min.), a variety of slate used for sharpening cutting instruments; novaculite; --called also whetstone slate, and oilstone.
Etymology [AS. hwettan; akin to D. wetten, G. wetzen, OHG. wezzen, Icel. hvetja, Sw. vättja, and AS. hwæt vigorous, brave, OS. hwat, OHG. waz, was, sharp, Icel. hvatr, bold, active, Sw. hvass sharp, Dan. hvas, Goth. hwassaba sharply, and probably to Skr. cud to impel, urge on.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “whet”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details