whet

1 of 2

verb

ˈ(h)wet 

whetted; whetting

transitive verb

1

: to sharpen by rubbing on or with something (such as a stone)

whet a knife

2

: to make keen or more acute : excite, stimulate

whet the appetite

whetted her curiosity

whetter noun

whet

2 of 2

noun

1

dialect

a

: a spell of work done with a scythe between the time it is sharpened and the time it needs to be sharpened again

b

: time, while

2

: something that sharpens or makes keen:

a

: goad, incitement

b

: appetizer

also : a drink of liquor

Synonyms

Verb

• edge
• grind
• hone
• sharpen
• stone
• strop

Examples of whet in a Sentence

Verb

We had some wine to whet our appetites.

The ads are trying to whet booksellers' interest.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Special Spirits In every casino, almost anything goes (within reason) to whet the appetites of major players, from craps table pizza deliveries to the presentation $55,000+ bottle of 2016 Screaming Eagle at dinner. —Melinda Sheckells, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024

Any concessions or willingness to countenance his aggression has simply whetted his appetite to go further. —Stephan Kieninger / Made By History, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024

Noun

Conway continued to press him, using a sports analogy to whet Trump’s competitive appetite. —Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Oct. 2024

Should the halos in Sienese painting whet your appetite for expensive, shiny, metal stuff, the Brooklyn Museum has just the thing. —The New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English whetten, from Old English hwettan; akin to Old High German wezzen to whet, waz sharp

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing whet

• saw-whet owl
• whet one's appetite

Kids Definition

whet

verb

ˈhwet,

ˈwet

whetted; whetting

1

: to sharpen by rubbing on or with something (as a stone)

whet a knife

2

: to make keen : stimulate

whet the appetite