In response to chironsdaughter's post.... Just want to point out that sometimes a technical meaning is more useful and definitive than a dictionary description. To hone a blade is not to sharpen it; rather it is to reshape the burr of the blade (which develops over time) into a more effective shape. To sharpen a blade is to remove steel from it and then polish the edge to the desired shape and bevel. Whetstones are used to remove steel from a blade and therefore sharpen, while a ceramic honing steel or a strop block are to perfect/polish/upkeep the shape rather than actually change it.
Whet is useful from my experience as a long-time cook for one of two applications; to whet ones palate or appetite by utilizing appropriate dishes and/or drinks in a calculated succession, or as in a whetstone, which is solely used for the purpose of changing the blade, (and hopefully sharpening it if you do it correctly). I've not experienced any other applications for the word.
Wet vs. Whet
In response to chironsdaughter's post.... Just want to point out that sometimes a technical meaning is more useful and definitive than a dictionary description. To hone a blade is not to sharpen it; rather it is to reshape the burr of the blade (which develops over time) into a more effective shape. To sharpen a blade is to remove steel from it and then polish the edge to the desired shape and bevel. Whetstones are used to remove steel from a blade and therefore sharpen, while a ceramic honing steel or a strop block are to perfect/polish/upkeep the shape rather than actually change it.
Whet is useful from my experience as a long-time cook for one of two applications; to whet ones palate or appetite by utilizing appropriate dishes and/or drinks in a calculated succession, or as in a whetstone, which is solely used for the purpose of changing the blade, (and hopefully sharpening it if you do it correctly). I've not experienced any other applications for the word.