Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [hwet, wet]
- /ʰwɛt, wɛt/
- /wet/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [hwet, wet]
- /ʰwɛt, wɛt/
Definitions of whets word
- verb with object whets to sharpen (a knife, tool, etc.) by grinding or friction. 1
- verb with object whets to make keen or eager; stimulate: to whet the appetite; to whet the curiosity. 1
- noun whets the act of whetting. 1
- noun whets something that whets; appetizer or drink. 1
- noun whets Chiefly Southern U.S. a spell of work. a while: to talk a whet. 1
- noun whets Third-person singular simple present indicative form of whet. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of whets
First appearance:
before 900 One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English whetten (v.), Old English hwettan (derivative of hwæt bold); cognate with German wetzen, Old Norse hvetja, Gothic gahwatjan to incite
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Whets
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
whets popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 91% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
According to our data about 61% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.
whets usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for whets
verb whets
- hones — a whetstone of fine, compact texture for sharpening razors and other cutting tools.
- files — Plural form of file.
- grinds — (Ireland, colloquial, plurale tantum) tutoring; extra lessons in a specific subject outside of school hours. Grinds are often given by private individuals or firms, and might not be provided by the school.
- edges — Plural form of edge.
- finishes — Plural form of finish.