Forms: 1 hwettan, 4 quette, 4–7 whette, 5–7 whett, (5 wete, qwete, Sc. quhete, 6 wette, wheit), 7–8 wet, 6– whet; pa. t. 1 hwette, 3 whætte, ȝwette, 4 wette, 4–6 whette, 6–7 whet, 8 Sc. whatt; pa. pple. 3 iwhæt, 4–5 ywhet(t, whette, 4–8 whet; pa. t. and pa. pple. 4–5 whettid, 5– whetted. [OE. hwęttan (M)Du., (M)LG. wetten, OHG. wezzan (MHG. wezzen, G. wetzen), ON. hvetja (Sw. vässa, Da. hvæsse):—OTeut. *χwatjan, f. χwat- (whence OE. hwæt, etc.: see WHAT a.2).]
1. trans. To sharpen, put a sharp edge or point upon.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxvi. 186. Swæ se læce grapað, & stracað, & hyt his seax & hwett v.r. hwæt].
971. Blickl. Gloss., 259. Hy hwetton, exacuerunt.
c. 1205. Lay., 14215. He … whætte his særes alse he schæren wolde.
c. 1290. St. George, 84, in S. Eng. Leg., 296. Heore wepne huy drowen forth and ȝwetten hem.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 1760. Ofte tyme I fynde þat þey mette with blody strokes … Assayinge how here speres were whette.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. 4306. A swerde, scharp[e] grounde & whet.
1530. Palsgr., 780/2. I love better whettynge of knyves afore a good dyner than whettynge of swordes and bylles.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 244. Foole, foole, thou whet’st a Knife to kill thy selfe.
1596. in Archaeologia, LXIV. 379. For a fylle to wheit the blakstone saw iiii d.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. viii. 42 b. Like an ill Mower, that mowes on still, and neuer whets his Syth.
1698. Phil. Trans., XX. 418. It became very hot towards the Point, the Edge being whet away to a Wire. Ibid., 419. I whet it again strongly in the same manner, and it changed again.
1721. E. Ward, Merry Trav., I. (1729), 12. The Butchers … Some wetting Knives upon a Steel.
1728. Young, Love of Fame, II. 121. As in smooth oil the razor best is whet.
1825. Scott, Talism., iii. Thou whett’st our very banquet-knives To tools of death and war.
1865. Swinburne, Chastelard, IV. i. 115. You do not think It is my wrath or will that whets this axe Against his neck?
b. Of a boar or other animal sharpening its tusks or teeth in preparation for an attack.
c. 1000. Eccl. Inst., in Thorpe, Anc. Laws (1840), II. 396/6. Of … þæm undeadlicum wyrmum þa hwettað hyra blodiʓan teð to þon þet hiʓ … urne lichoman wundian.
13[?]. K. Alis., 6607 (Laud MS.). In her mouþ ben teeþ trebble sshet, None bores better ywhett.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 178. Þai whettid þer tethe agayns þaim.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 16. He fyleth and whetteth his horne on a stone.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 387. Boars whet their Tusks; to battel Tygers move.
1747. W. Dunkin, in Francis, trans. Hor., Ep., II. ii. 42. A very Wolf … Now whetting keen his wide devouring jaw.
1799. Southey, God’s Judgem. Wicked Bp., 77. They have whetted their teeth against the stones, And now they pick the Bishop’s bones.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., II. xlii. The eagle whets his beak.
c. In allusive and fig. phrases (in which the literal language is freq. retained, e.g., to whet the teeth, the sword, etc.) usually expressing preparation for attack; often in echoes of Ps. lxiv. 3, cxl. 3.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Spelman), cxxxix. [cxl.] 3. Hi hwetton tungan heora swa swa nædran.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 212. Þe swerd of sorowe whett with fals plesaunce.
14[?]. Tundale’s Vis. (1843), 95. For to skape the cruell vyolence Of nedis swyrd whettyng with violence.
1563. Homilies, II. Worthy receauing Sacr., I. Therfore (saith Ciprian) when we do these thynges, we nede not to whet our teeth.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 6. A hie point forsooth for them to whet there lungs about.
1581. Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv. (1586), 7. They … had not yet whetted their tongues to slaunder their neighbours, gaue not their mindes to cruelties.
1633. Cowley, Poet. Blossoms, Constantia & Philetus, 74. Yet hee by chance had hit his heart aright, And on Constantia’s eye his Arrow whet.
1674. W. Sherlock, Disc. Knowl. Christ, 56. That now we may look Justice in the face, and whet our Knife at the Counter door, all our Debts being discharged by Christ.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 266. ‘Combined Nations,’ says she, ‘and formidable cities whet the sword against me.’
1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., ii. 26. The writer who is seen to be thus whetting afresh his words.
1866. Liddon, Divin. Our Lord, vii. (1875), 357. The edge and point of every weapon that might be forged or whetted by the ingenuity of passionate animosity.
d. absol.; also fig. to get ready for an attack (like a boar whetting his tusks).
1398. [see WHETSTONE 1].
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xvi. 318. I mon whett lyke a bore.
1642. D. Rogers, Naaman, 19. Those who cease whetting at Gods secrets … (as not belonging to them) … have a marke upon them of such as shall be saved.
1678. Dryden, Limberham, IV. i. I have been whetting all this while. Ibid. (1682), Medall, 240. They … grin and whet like a Croatian band.
† 2. fig. To incite, instigate, egg or urge on to or to do something. Obs.
Beowulf, 204. Ðone siðfæt him snotere ceorlas lythwon loʓon,… hwetton hiʓerofne.
a. 1000. Sal. & Sat., 493. Oðer [gast] hine tyhteð & on tæso læreð … & ðurh ðæt his mod hweteð.
c. 1000. Malchus, in Cockayne, Shrine (1864), 41. Þa ʓehyrde hio fram me þæt ic hiʓ hwette to fleanne.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 2828. On was þer þat ful euele spak To whette Brenne to reyse contak.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. 1354. Liche a lyoun whetted wiþ woodnes.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 461 b. Certen biting libelles … wherin were some thinges to whet the people.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, 26 b. By Dauid George his Maisters whettyng him forward … he became the sonne of perdition.
1595. Shaks., John, III. iv. 181. Now that their soules are topfull of offence,… I will whet on the King.
1621. Sanderson, Serm., Ad Clerum, II. (1689), 37. If he would whet them up to the battle.
1624. Quarles, Job Militant, Medit. 3. A gloomie night Whets on the morning, to returne more bright.
1649. Milton, Eikon., xxvii. 214. They … are but whetted and inrag’d by what they suffer’d, against those whom they look upon as them that caus’d Thir suffrings.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, I. § 8. He would be often discoursing … about Points … of Religion, that he might thereby whet those who sat at Table with him.
1761. Churchill, Rosciad, 491. When she to murther whets the tim’rous Thane.
3. To sharpen, render (more) acute, keen or eager (a person’s wits, appetite, interest, curiosity, etc.).
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2420. I attellyd neuer athens with armes to entre, Bot you questions to enquire to wete [Ashm. qwete] with my wittes.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6197. How high that euere his heed he shere With resoun whetted neuer so kene.
1402. Hoccleve, Let. Cupid, 243. They that to wommen ben ywhett so kene.
1561. T. Norton, trans. Calvin’s Inst., III. 262 b. The very weight of ye thing itself shal whet our endeuor.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 187. Diuers coulours offende the eyes, yet hauing greene among them, whette the sight.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. i. 116. Madam, I come to whet your gentle thoughts On his behalfe.
1612. Dekker, If it be not Good, Wks. 1873, III. 282. [He] seekes new wayes to whet dull appetite.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 9. Aduersities doe often whet our wits.
1648. W. Mountagu, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 309. This I confess whets my prayers for your Lordship’s health.
1752. Hume, Pol. Disc., iii. 48. Their industry only whetted by so much new gain. Ibid. (1759), Hist. Eng., Tudors, II. Eliz., iii. 547. Theological controversy daily whetted the animosity of the sects.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxii. Efforts to stimulate the popular taste and whet the popular curiosity.
1861. Buckle, Civiliz., II. iii. 210. The desire of revenge whetted their exertions.
absol. 1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 831. The Cause, why Onions, and Salt, and Pepper, in Baked Meats, moue Appetite, it is by Vellication of those Nerues; For Motion whetteth.
† 4. In renderings of Deut. vi. 7 and echoes of it, translating Heb. shānan lit. to sharpen, fig. to inculcate. (Const. on, upon.) Obs.
1528. Tindale, Obed. Chr. Man, To Rdr. 13. Moyses saith Deutro. vj. Heare Israel let these wordes which I commaunde the this daye steke fast in thine herte, and whette them on thi childerne.
1548. Becon, Sol. Soul, Wks. 1564, II. 115 b. And euer bee whettynge of that in thy mynde.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., xxii. (1627), 255. Use all diligence to apply every piece unto them, to whet it upon them.
a. 1665. J. Goodwin, Being filled with the Spirit (1867), 229. Was it thoroughly known, and frequently whetted upon the thoughts and minds of men [etc.].
† 5. Of a bird: To preen (the feathers). rare.
a. 1678. Marvell, Garden, 54. There like a Bird it sits, and sings, Then whets, and combs its silver Wings.
6. † a. intr. To take an appetizer. b. trans. in phr. to whet one’s whistle (in which whet has been substituted for the earlier wet): to clear the throat or voice by taking a drink.
1674. Flatman, Belly God, 46. First whet thy whistle with some good Metheglin.
1688. [see WHET sb. 2 b].
1742. Fielding, J. Andrews, II. xi. Give the gentleman a glass to whet his whistle before he begins.
1809. in Sir G. Jackson’s Diaries & Lett. (1873), I. 20. Punch … served very agreeably to wet, or whet, my whistle.
1908. Hardy, Dynasts, III. III. vi. See that they have plenty of Madeira to whet their whistles with.
7. Comb.: whetsaw, a bird allied to the cuckoo, so called from its making a noise like the whetting of a saw; whet-slate, a hard slate used for hones; novaculite.
1778. J. Carver, Trav. N. Amer., xviii. 475. The Whetsaw is of the cuckow kind, being like that a solitary bird, and scarcely ever seen,… it makes a noise like the filing of a saw.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 1141. Whet-slate, or Turkey hone, is a slaty rock, containing a great proportion of quartz.
1856. Page, Adv. Text-bk. Geol., viii. (1876), 161. Among the minor products may be mentioned whet-slate and ragstone.
