From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Whet \Whet\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Whetted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Whetting}.] [AS. hwettan; akin to D. wetten, G. wetzen, OHG. wezzen, Icel. hvetja, Sw. v["a]ttja, and AS. hw[ae]t vigorous, brave, OS. hwat, OHG. waz, was, sharp, Icel. hvatr, bold, active, Sw. hvass sharp, Dan. hvas, Goth. hwassaba sharply, and probably to Skr. cud to impel, urge on.]
1. To rub or on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening; to sharpen by attrition; as, to whet a knife.
The mower whets his scythe. --Milton.
Here roams the wolf, the eagle whets his beak. --Byron.
2. To make sharp, keen, or eager; to excite; to stimulate; as, to whet the appetite or the courage.
Since Cassius first did whet me against C[ae]sar, I have not slept. --Shak.
{To whet on}, {To whet forward}, to urge on or forward; to instigate. --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
verb
1: make keen or more acute; "whet my appetite" [syn: {quicken}]
2: sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone [also: {whetting}, {whetted}]
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