DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Whet v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Whetting.]
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 Caesar,
I have not slept. --Shak.
To whet on, To whet forward, to urge on or forward; to instigate.
whet
v 1: make keen or more acute; "whet my appetite" [syn: quicken]
2: sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone
[also: whetting, whetted]