Etymology
1. O.E.
hwettan, from P.Gmc.
*khwatjanan (cf. O.N.
hvetja "to sharpen, encourage," M.L.G., M.Du.
wetten, O.H.G.
wezzan, Ger.
wetzen "to sharpen," Goth.
ga-hvatjan "to sharpen, incite"), from an adj. represented by O.E.
hwæt "brave, bold," O.S.
hwat "sharp," from P.Gmc.
*khwataz, from PIE base
*qwed- "sharp" (cf. Skt.
codati "incites," lit. "sharpens"). Fig. sense was in O.E.
2. The verb is derived from Middle English whetten (“to make the edge of (a sword, tool, etc.) sharp; to grunt, snort; to scrape the ground with (one’s feet); to make a chattering or grinding sound; (figurative) of a person: to prepare for battle; to make (one’s wit) alert or keen; to strengthen (one’s heart or will); to incite, provoke”), from Old English hwettan (“to sharpen, whet; (figurative) to encourage, incite”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwattjan (“to sharpen, whet”), from Proto-Germanic *hwatjaną (“to sharpen, whet; (figurative) to incite, instigate”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₁d- (“sharp”).
3. Verb sense 1.3.3 (“to inculcate or teach (habits, information, etc.)”) is from Deuteronomy 6:6–7 in the Bible (New International Version): “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.” The word translated as impress is Hebrew שָׁנַן (shanán, “to be sharp; to sharpen, whet”).
4. The noun is derived from the verb.
5. cognates
6. * Dialectal Danish hvæde (“to whet”)
7. * Dutch wetten (“to whet, sharpen”)
8. * German wetzen (“to whet, sharpen”)
9. * Icelandic hvetja (“to whet, encourage, catalyze”) See: Middle English '
whetten', Old English '
hwettan', Proto-Germanic '
*hwatjaną', Danish '
hvæde', Dutch '
wetten', German, old spelling '
wetzen', Icelandic '
hvetja'.
Verbs referencing "whet"
Scots
what, German, old spelling
wetzen, Cimbrian bétzan, Norwegian, nynorsk
kvetje.