In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.
WHET
whet
(verb) sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone
whet, quicken
(verb) make keen or more acute; “whet my appetite”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
whet (third-person singular simple present whets, present participle whetting, simple past and past participle whet or whetted)
(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, obsolete) To preen.
Noun
whet (plural whets)
The act of whetting something.
That which whets or sharpens; especially, an appetizer.
Anagrams
• thew
Source: Wiktionary
Whet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Whetting.] Etym: [AS. hwettan; akin to D. wetten, G. wetzen, OHG. wezzen, Icel. hvetja, Sw. vättja, and AS. hwæt vigorous, brave, OS. hwat, OHG. waz, was, sharp, Icel. hvatr, bold, active, Sw. hvass sharp, Dan. hvas, Goth. hwassaba sharply, and probably to Skr. cud to impel, urge on.]
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 Cæsar, I have not slept. Shak. To whet on, To whet forward, to urge on or forward; to instigate. Shak.
Whet, n.
1. The act of whetting.
2. That which whets or sharpens; esp., an appetizer. "Sips, drams, and whets." Spectator. Whet slate (Min.), a variety of slate used for sharpening cutting instruments; novaculite; -- called also whetstone slate, and oilstone.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
6 June 2025
PUNGENCY
(noun) wit having a sharp and caustic quality; “he commented with typical pungency”; “the bite of satire”
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