Whet definition

wĕt, hwĕt

Words form:

Frequency:

To sharpen (a knife, for example); hone.

verb

To whet is to create or stimulate an interest or appetite for something or to sharpen the edge of a knife.

An example of whet is when you take a tiny taste of delicious food and want more.

An example of whet is when you rub a knife edge against a sharpening stone.

verb

To make more keen; stimulate.

The frying bacon whetted my appetite.

verb

Something that whets the appetite or desire.

noun

To sharpen by rubbing or grinding (the edge of a knife or tool); hone.

verb

To make keen; stimulate.

To whet the appetite.

verb

An act of whetting.

noun

Something that whets (the appetite, etc.)

noun

To hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening - see whetstone.

verb

To stimulate or make more keen.

To whet one's appetite or one's courage.

verb

The act of whetting something.

noun

That which whets or sharpens; especially, an appetizer.

noun

Origin of whet

Middle English whetten from Old English hwettan

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Middle English whetten, from Old English hwettan (“to whet, sharpen, incite, encourage"), from Proto-Germanic *hwatjanÄ… (“to incite, sharpen"), from Proto-Indo-European *kÊ·Ä“d- (“sharp"). Cognate with Dutch wetten (“to whet, sharpen"), German wetzen (“to whet, sharpen"), Danish dialectal hvæde (“to whet").

From Wiktionary