whet
[ hwet, wet ]
/ ʰwɛt, wɛt /
verb (used with object), whet·ted, whet·ting.
to sharpen (a knife, tool, etc.) by grinding or friction.
to make keen or eager; stimulate: to whet the appetite; to whet the curiosity.
noun
the act of whetting.
something that whets; appetizer or drink.
Chiefly Southern U.S.
- a spell of work.
- a while: to talk a whet.
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Origin of whet
before 900; Middle English whetten (v.), Old English hwettan (derivative of hwæt bold); cognate with German wetzen,Old Norse hvetja,Gothic gahwatjan to incite
OTHER WORDS FROM whet
whetter, nounun·whet·ted, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH whet
wet, whetDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for whet
British Dictionary definitions for whet
whet
/ (wɛt) /
verb whets, whetting or whetted (tr)
to sharpen, as by grinding or friction
to increase or enhance (the appetite, desire, etc); stimulate
noun
the act of whetting
a person or thing that whets
Derived forms of whet
whetter, nounWord Origin for whet
Old English hwettan; related to hvæt sharp, Old High German hwezzen, Old Norse hvetja, Gothic hvatjan
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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