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View synonyms for

whet

[ hwet, wet ]

verb (used with object)

whetted, whetting.
  1. to sharpen (a knife, tool, etc.) by grinding or friction.
  2. to make keen or eager; stimulate:

    to whet the appetite; to whet the curiosity.



noun

  1. the act of whetting.
  2. something that whets; appetizer or drink.
  3. Chiefly Southern U.S.
    1. a spell of work.
    2. a while:

      to talk a whet.

whet

/ ɛ /

verb

  1. to sharpen, as by grinding or friction
  2. to increase or enhance (the appetite, desire, etc); stimulate
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act of whetting
  2. a person or thing that whets
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈɳٳٱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ɳ·ٱ noun
  • ܲ·ɳ·ٱ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of whet1

before 900; Middle English whetten (v.), Old English hwettan (derivative of æ bold); cognate with German wetzen, Old Norse hvetja, Gothic gahwatjan to incite
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Word History and Origins

Origin of whet1

Old English hwettan; related to æ sharp, Old High German hwezzen, Old Norse hvetja, Gothic hvatjan
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Here are a few tales to whet your appetite - or perhaps put you off your dinner.

From

English helped fund all the English-is-great propositions of my childhood to whet the xenophobic appetite of some Americans.

From

Such arguments will no doubt whet the appetites of law professors everywhere and may set up a clash that the Supreme Court will ultimately resolve.

From

The idea, Disney officials said, is to whet people’s appetites and encourage upgrades to the full bundle.

From

“Dune: Prophecy,” a prequel based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s “Great Schools of Dune” trilogy, has about six hours to set the table and whet our appetite.

From

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