| 释义 |
▪ I. whet, n.|hwɛt|
[f. whet v.]
1. An act of sharpening; transf. the interval between two sharpenings of a scythe, etc.; also fig. an occasion, turn, ‘go’. Now dial.
a1628J. Preston Saints Daily Exerc. (1629) 32 The whetting of the sithe, though there be a stop in the work for a time, yet, as our common saying is, a whet is no let. 1641Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 32 A good mower will goe the breadth of those broade-landes with a whette. 1849C. Brontë Shirley xxx, If the afflatus comes, give way, Robert; never heed me: I'll bear it this whet (time). 1892Hole Mem. xvi. (1893) 194 ‘Well, Booth,’ a visitor said to his sick neighbour, ‘thee'd like to get better, wouldn't thee, Booth? But thee mun dee, this whet.’
2. fig. Something that incites or stimulates desire; an incitement or inducement to action.
1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 112 marg., The sloth of the Moors a whet to the Banyans. 1710S. Palmer Proverbs 6 Diversion shou'd never be any more than a Whet in order to the better..Pursuit of our Work. 1770Ann. Reg., Hist. Eur. 32/2 The carnage at Patras gave a new whet, which was not at all wanted, to the..revenge of the Greeks. 1846Lower Hand-bk. Lewes 24 Should any facts I may state serve as a whet for the visitor's curiosity. 1880J. Caird Univ. Addr. (1898) 134 For some minds..the whet of society is indispensable in order to the attainment of the right temper and use of their powers. 1882Stevenson Across the Plains iii. (1892) 123 Solitude: an excellent thing in itself, and a good whet for company.
b. Something that whets the appetite; chiefly, light refreshment taken as an appetizer or to stave off hunger till the next meal; esp. an appetizer in the form of a small draught of liquor; a dram, a drink (cf. wet).
1688Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia ii. 23 Let's whett; bring some Wine. Come on; I love a Whett. 1692Ray Disc. ii. v. (1693) 191 The President of the Council..engaged me to take a Glass of Wormwood Wine as a whet before dinner. 1693Congreve in Dryden's Juvenal xi. 209 An Iv'ry Table is a certain whet; You would not think how heartily he'll eat. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 279 Fruit, Wine, Tobacco, and Salt Bits for a Whet, being placed before them, they continue Drinking till Midnight. 1736Fielding Pasquin i. 6, I have brought the Colonel to take a Morning's Whet with you. 1741Richardson Pamela (1785) III. 360 They whipt out two Bottles of Champaigne instantly, for a Whet, as they called it. 1769Mrs. Raffald Engl. Housekpr. (1778) 139 To make a nice Whet before Dinner. Cut some slices of bread.., fry them in butter, [etc.]. 1771Smollett Humph. Cl., To Sir W. Phillips 8 Aug., I have seen turnips make their appearance, not as a dessert, but by way of hors d'œuvres, or whets. 1803Med. Jrnl. X. 477 As he walks out in the morning he takes what is called a small glass (half a gill) of bitters..at the first grog-shop he passes; and commonly takes a second whet (another half gill) before he gets to work. 1833in F. D. Palmer Diary of C. J. P. (1892) 112 The Corporation gave a ‘whet’ at the Town Hall. 1852W. Jerdan Autobiogr. I. xxiii. 189 He..swallowed his two dozen of green oysters as a whet, and proceeded to dine. 1879Stevenson Trav. Cevennes 90 Father Michael..gave me a glass of liqueur to stay me until dinner... The whet administered, I was left alone.
▪ II. whet, v.|hwɛt|
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. tense 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. tense 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. a. trans. To sharpen, put a sharp edge or point upon.
c897ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxvi. 186 Swæ se læce grapað, & stracað, & hyt his seax & hwett [v.r. hwæt]. 971Blickl. Gloss. 259 Hy hwetton, exacuerunt. c1205Lay. 14215 He..whætte his særes alse he schæren wolde. c1290St. George 84 in S. Eng. Leg. 296 Heore wepne huy drowen forth and ȝwetten hem. c1374Chaucer Troylus v. 1760 Ofte tyme I fynde þat þey mette with blody strokes..Assayinge how here speres were whette. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 4306 A swerde, scharp[e] grounde & whet. 1530Palsgr. 780/2, I love better whettynge of knyves afore a good dyner than whettynge of swordes and bylles. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 244 Foole, foole, thou whet'st a Knife to kill thy selfe. 1596in Archaeologia LXIV. 379 For a fylle to wheit the blakstone saw iiii d. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. i. viii. 42 b, Like an ill Mower, that mowes on still, and neuer whets his Syth. 1698Phil. 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. 1721E. Ward Merry Trav. i. (1729) 12 The Butchers..Some wetting Knives upon a Steel. 1728Young Love of Fame ii. 121 As in smooth oil the razor best is whet. 1825Scott Talism. iii, Thou whett'st our very banquet-knives To tools of death and war. 1865Swinburne 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.
c1000Eccl. Inst. in Thorpe Anc. Laws (1840) II. 396/6 Of..þæm undeadlicum wyrmum þa hwettað hyra blodiᵹan teð to þon þet hiᵹ..urne lichoman wundian. 13..K. Alis. 6607 (Laud MS.) In her mouþ ben teeþ trebble sshet, None bores better ywhett. c1440Alphabet of Tales 178 Þai whettid þer tethe agayns þaim. 1553Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 16 He fyleth and whetteth his horne on a stone. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 387 Boars whet their Tusks; to battel Tygers move. 1747W. Dunkin in Francis tr. Hor., Ep. ii. ii. 42 A very Wolf..Now whetting keen his wide devouring Jaw. 1799Southey God's Judgem. Wicked Bp. 77 They have whetted their teeth against the stones, And now they pick the Bishop's bones. 1812Byron 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.
c1000Ags. Ps. (Spelman) cxxxix. [cxl.] 3 Hi hwetton tungan heora swa swa nædran. c1374Chaucer 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. 1563Homilies ii. Worthy receauing Sacr. i, Therfore (saith Ciprian) when we do these thynges, we nede not to whet our teeth. 1573G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 6 A hie point forsooth for them to whet there tungs about. 1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. (1586) 7 They..had not yet whetted their tongues to slaunder their neighbours, gaue not their mindes to cruelties. 1633Cowley Poet. Blossoms, Constantia & Philetus 74 Yet hee by chance had hit his heart aright, And on Constantia's eye his Arrow whet. 1674W. 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. 1796H. Hunter tr. St. Pierre's Study Nat. (1799) III. 266 ‘Combined Nations,’ says she, ‘and formidable cities whet the sword against me.’ 1833I. Taylor Fanat. ii. 26 The writer who is seen to be thus whetting afresh his words. 1866Liddon 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]. c1460Towneley Myst. xvi. 318, I mon whett lyke a bore. 1642D. 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. 1680Dryden Limberham iv. i. 47 I have been whetting all this while. 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 loᵹon,..hwetton hiᵹerofne. a1000Sal. & Sat. 493 Oðer [gast] hine tyhteð & on tæso læreð..& ðurh ðæt his mod hweteð. c1000Malchus in Cockayne Shrine (1864) 41 Þa ᵹehyrde hio fram me þæt ic hiᵹ hwette to fleanne. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 2828 On was þer þat ful euele spak To whette Brenne to reyse contak. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy iv. 1354 Liche a lyoun whetted wiþ woodnes. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 461 b, Certen biting libelles..wherin were some thinges to whet the people. 1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love 26 b, By Dauid George his Maisters whettyng him forward..he became the sonne of perdition. 1595Shakes. John iii. iv. 181 Now that their soules are topfull of offence,..I will whet on the King. 1621Sanderson Serm., Ad Clerum ii. (1689) 37 If he would whet them up to the battle. 1624Quarles Job Militant Medit. 3 A gloomie night Whets on the morning, to returne more bright. 1649Milton 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. 1718Hickes & 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. 1761Churchill 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.). Also with up.
a1400–50Wars Alex. 2420, I attellyd neuer athens with armes to entre, Bot you questions to enquire to wete [Ashm. qwete] with my wittes. c1400Rom. Rose 6197 How high that euere his heed he shere With resoun whetted neuer so kene. 1402Hoccleve Let. Cupid 243 They that to wommen ben ywhett so kene. 1561T. Norton tr. Calvin's Inst. iii. 262 b, The very weight of y⊇ thing it self shal whet our endeuor. 1579Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 187 Diuers coulours offende the eyes, yet hauing greene among them, whette the sight. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. iii. i. 116 Madam, I come to whet your gentle thoughts On his be⁓halfe. 1612Dekker If it be not good Wks. 1873 III. 282 [He] seekes new wayes to whet dull appetite. 1617Moryson Itin. iii. 9 Aduersities doe often whet our wits. 1648W. Mountagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 309 This I confess whets my prayers for your Lordship's health. 1752Hume Pol. Disc. iii. 48 Their industry only whetted by so much new gain. 1759― Hist. Eng., Tudors II. Eliz. iii. 547 Theological controversy daily whetted the animosity of the sects. 1823T. Bewick Memoir (1975) xii. 105 The extreme interest I had always felt in the hope of administering to the pleasures & amusement of youth..whetted me up & stimulated me to proceed. 1840Dickens Old C. Shop xxxii, Efforts to stimulate the popular taste and whet the popular curiosity. 1861Buckle Civiliz. II. iii. 210 The desire of revenge whetted their exertions.
absol.1626Bacon 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. 1877‘Mark Twain’ in Atlantic Monthly Nov. 586/2 You see 'em begin to whet up whenever they smell argument in the air. 1893― in Century Mag. Jan. 342/2 The people were still in the drawing-room, whetting up for dinner.
†4. In renderings of Deut. vi. 7 and echoes of it, translating Heb. shānan lit. to sharpen, fig. to inculcate. (Const. on, upon.) Obs.
1528Tindale 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. 1548Becon Sol. Soul Wks. 1564 II. 115 b, And euer bee whettynge of that in thy mynde. 1612Brinsley Lud. Lit. xxii. (1627) 255 Use all diligence to apply every piece unto them, to whet it upon them. a1665J. 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.
a1678Marvell 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.
1674Flatman Belly God 46 First whet thy whistle with some good Metheglin. 1688[see whet n. 2 b]. 1742Fielding J. Andrews ii. xi, Give the gentleman a glass to whet his whistle before he begins. 1809in Sir G. Jackson's Diaries & Lett. (1873) I. 20 Punch..served very agreeably to wet, or whet, my whistle. 1908Hardy 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.
1778J. 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. 1839Ure Dict. Arts 1141 Whet-slate, or Turkey hone, is a slaty rock, containing a great proportion of quartz. 1856Page Adv. Text-bk. Geol. viii. (1876) 161 Among the minor products may be mentioned whet-slate and ragstone.
▪ III. whet
obs. f. wait n., what, wheat. |