Vocabulary in context
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Whet
To stimulate or arouse; to sharpen a blade by grinding on a whetstone.
verbπ‘
Imagine This
Imagine a dull kitchen knife resting on a whetstone. As you rub it, the edge gleams and becomes keen, and your curiosity about a mystery is whetted by a surprising clue nearby.
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Sounds Like
wet
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Looks Like
Looks like 'wheat' (similar spelling) and sounds like 'wet' (similar pronunciation).
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Remember This
Common phrase: 'to whet one's appetite' means to stimulate interest or desire.
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Other Forms
whettedpast participle / past tense
whettingpresent participle
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Connect With
sharpen, hone, stimulate, arouse, excite, whet appetite
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Note
Whet is a verb meaning to sharpen or to stimulate. Do not confuse with 'wet' (moist) or with the noun 'whetstone' (the sharpening stone). The correct past tense is whetted; present participle is whetting.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The chef whets his knife on a whetstone before preparing the meal.
- The proposal whetted her interest in environmental science.
Synonyms
sharpenhonestimulatearouseexcite
Antonyms
dulldeadenstifle
Etymology
From Old English hwΗ£tan (to whet, sharpen); related to Old High German wetzen (to sharpen). The noun 'whetstone' is formed from this root plus 'stone'.
Mnemonic
Mnemonic: Whet your appetite. Remember that whet means to sharpen or stimulate; it sounds like 'wet,' but its use is about sharpening edges and stimulating interest.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Stimulate
verbTo rouse or spur into action; to increase activity, interest, or development.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
Abscond
verbTo depart secretly or flee, especially to avoid detection or arrest.
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