The Collaborative Dictionary

Whet \Whet\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Whetting.] [AS. hwettan; akin to D. wetten, G. wetzen, OHG. wezzen, Icel. hvetja, Sw. v[aum]ttja, and AS. hw[ae]t 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.] [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster] The mower whets his scythe. --Milton. [1913 Webster] Here roams the wolf, the eagle whets his beak. --Byron. [1913 Webster]

To make sharp, keen, or eager; to excite; to stimulate; as, to whet the appetite or the courage. [1913 Webster] Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept. --Shak. [1913 Webster] To whet on, To whet forward, to urge on or forward; to instigate. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Whet \Whet\, n. [1913 Webster]

The act of whetting. [1913 Webster]

That which whets or sharpens; esp., an appetizer. "Sips, drams, and whets." --Spectator. [1913 Webster] Whet slate (Min.), a variety of slate used for sharpening cutting instruments; novaculite; -- called also whetstone slate, and oilstone. [1913 Webster]

Word Net

whet

1 make keen or more acute; "whet my appetite" [syn: quicken]

2 sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone [also: whetting, whetted]

Moby Thesaurus

accelerate, aculeate, acuminate, aggravate, agitate, animate, antepast, antipasto, aperitif, appetizer, arouse, awaken, bait, barb, beef up, bestir, blow the coals, blow up, bribe, canape, carrot, challenge, complicate, concentrate, condense, consolidate, cultivate, cuspidate, deepen, double, edge, encouragement, enhance, enliven, exacerbate, exaggerate, excite, exhilarate, fan, fan the flame, feed the fire, ferment, file, fillip, fire, foment, foretaste, galvanize, grind, heat, heat up, heighten, hone, hop up, hot up, impassion, incense, incentive, incite, incitement, inducement, inflame, infuse life into, instigate, intensify, interest, invigorate, invitation, jazz up, key up, kindle, lure, magnify, make complex, make sensitive, nettle, oilstone, payment, percentage, persuasive, pick up, pique, point, profit, provocation, provoke, put up to, quicken, rally, ramify, redouble, refine, reinforce, renew, reset, resuscitate, revive, reward, rouse, sensibilize, sensitize, set, set on, sharp, sharpen, sic on, smorgasbord, soup up, spiculate, spur, step up, stimulate, stimulation, stimulative, stimulus, stir, stir the embers, stir up, strap, strengthen, strop, sweetener, sweetening, taper, tickle, triple, wake, waken, whip up, work up

English

Etymology

hwettan, from *xwetjan

Pronunciation

• /ʍɛt/ /WEt/
• /wɛt/ /wEt/
• Homophones: wet

Verb

1. To hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening.
2. To stimulate or make more keen.
   • To whet one’s appetite

Translations