whet
To make more keen or to stimulateTo make more keen or to stimulate (someone's appetite, interest, etc.); to hone, to sharpen.
Recorded US: Speaker: Back ache Recorder: Back ache, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
» Here is an extract to whet your appetite.
sacredceltic · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRTranslations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
Examples
7 sentencesHere is an extract to whet your appetite.
The knives are not sharp, I need to whet them.
ruНожи затупились, мне нужно их заточить. — marafon
Tom usually has a glass of wine before dinner to whet his appetite.
deTom trinkt vor dem Abendessen gewöhnlich ein Glas Wein, um seinen Appetit anzuregen. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
Meaning
9 senses(figuratively, transitive)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
обостря́тьobostrjátʹ, обостри́тьobostrítʹ, разжигатьrazžigatʹ
(transitive)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.
(figuratively, intransitive)To make more keen; to stimulate.
More meanings 6
(figuratively, intransitive)To prepare for an attack.
(archaic, transitive)To sharpen (something, such as a knife or sword) by rubbing on an object, especially a whetstone; to hone.
wetzen
пра́витьprávitʹ, точи́тьtočítʹ, поточи́тьpotočítʹ
точи́тиtočýty
sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone
(figuratively, obsolete, transitive)To encourage (someone) to do something; to incite, to urge.
(figuratively, obsolete, transitive)To inculcate or teach (habits, information, etc.).
(figuratively, obsolete, rare, transitive)Of a bird: to preen (its feathers).
(figuratively, intransitive, obsolete)To consume drink or food as an appetizer.
Origin
The verb is derived from Middle English whetten (“to make the edge of (a sword, tool, etc.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”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
whets, whetting, whetted, whettedTenses
whet · whetted · will whet · have whettedSynonyms
81 synonyms- make keen or more acute:quicken
Word family
6 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.