Pronunciation: /wɛt/

Definitions of whet

noun a thing that stimulates or sharpens

Example Sentences

A1 I used a whetstone to sharpen my knife.

A2 The chef used a whet to prepare the ingredients.

B1 A good book can whet your appetite for reading.

B2 The new exhibit at the museum really whet my curiosity.

C1 His success only whet his desire for more challenges.

C2 The preview of the movie whet my anticipation for its release.

verb to sharpen or stimulate

Example Sentences

A1 I whet my appetite by looking at pictures of delicious food.

A2 She whet her pencil before starting to write.

B1 The preview of the movie whet my curiosity.

B2 The new book whet my desire to learn more about the topic.

C1 The challenging puzzle whet his intellectual curiosity.

C2 The advanced course whet her appetite for further study in the field.

Examples of whet in a Sentence

formal The appetizers served at the event were meant to whet the guests' appetite.

informal I like to have a small snack to whet my appetite before dinner.

slang Watching cooking shows always manages to whet my hunger.

figurative The new information only served to whet my curiosity even further.

Grammatical Forms of whet

past tense

whetted

plural

whets

comparative

more whet

superlative

most whet

present tense

whet

future tense

will whet

perfect tense

have whetted

continuous tense

is whetting

singular

whet

positive degree

whet

infinitive

to whet

gerund

whetting

participle

whetted

Origin and Evolution of whet

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'whet' originated from Old English 'hwettan' meaning to sharpen or make keen.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'whet' evolved to also mean to stimulate or excite, in addition to its original meaning of sharpening. The word has retained its association with sharpening tools or appetites, but has also taken on a broader sense of stimulating or provoking.