whet
English
/ˈwɛt/, /ˈʍɛt/, /ˈwɛt/, /ˈʍɛt/
verb
Definitions
- (transitive) To hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening – see whetstone.
- (transitive) To stimulate or make more keen.
- (transitive) To preen.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English whetten inherited from Old English hwettan (sharpen, whet, incite, encourage) inherited from *hwattjan inherited from Proto-Germanic *hwatjaną (sharpen, incite, instigate) derived from Proto-Indo-European *kʷēd- (sharp).
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*kʷēd-
Gloss
sharp
Concept
Semantic Field
Sense perception
Ontological Category
Property
Kanji
鋭
Emoji
🪒
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- stone English
- triquetrous English
- triquetrum English
- whetstone English
- whetten English
- whetter English
- triquetrus Latin
- Wetzstein German
- wetzen German
- wetsteen Dutch, Flemish
- wetten Dutch, Flemish
- *kʷēd- Proto-Indo-European
- *kʷēd- Proto-Indo-European
- *hwatjaną Proto-Germanic
- kvetje Norwegian Nynorsk
- hwetstan Old English
- hwettan Old English
- whestone Middle English
- whetten Middle English
- whettynge Middle English
- hvetja Old Norse
- hvatning Icelandic
- hvetja Icelandic
- wetten Middle Dutch
- hwezzen Old High German
- wezzen Old High German
- wetzen Middle High German
- *hwattjan gmw-pro
- *wetten Old Dutch
- bétzan Cimbrian
- wetston Tok Pisin
- Wätsteen Saterland Frisian
- wätje Saterland Frisian