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.
 whetting
      See whet
 whet
      v 1: make keen or more acute; "whet my appetite" [syn: quicken]
      2: sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone
      [also: whetting, whetted]