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wet ~ whet

[the same pronunciation, as in wet that rhymes with “let”]

“Wet”, as an adjective, means ‘(of a person or thing & the opposite word in meaning is ‘dry’) covered with water or other liquid; (of the weather) rainy; (of a place or thing) full of water in or around; weak or ineffectual; (of a person) supporting the sale of alcohol’; as a noun, it is ‘the rain or rainy weather’; as a verb, it is ‘to make someone or something covered with water or other liquid’,

e.g.

When you cut yourself, clean the wound with a wet cloth and put a band-aid on it.

Don’t sit on the bench; the paint is still wet.

I hate to go out when the weather is wet.

Ours is a wet town; you can get, buy and drink any amount of alcohol you like.

The baby wets the bed several times each night.

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“Whet” (verb) is ‘to increase one’s interest; to stimulate one’s appetite; to sharpen something by rubbing against something rough – a stone (commonly called a ‘whetstone’, or a file, etc.’,

e.g.

The colourful romantic postcard from Hawaii whetted my desire to visit the place.

Nikki Bonigala’s blog has recipes that could whet everyone’s appetite.

The butcher whets his knives sharp before beginning his trade every morning.

Carpenters need to whet their chisels and adzes regularly.

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