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Enliven vs Whet - What's the difference?

enliven | whet |

In lang=en terms the difference between enliven and whet

is that enliven is to make more lively, cheerful or interesting while whet is to stimulate or make more keen.

As verbs the difference between enliven and whet

is that enliven is (obsolete|transitive) to give life or spirit to; to revive or animate while whet is to hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening – see whetstone.

As a noun whet is

the act of whetting something.

enliven

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (obsolete) To give life or spirit to; to revive or animate.
  • To make more lively, cheerful or interesting.
    • The game was much enlivened when both teams scored within five minutes of each other.

    Synonyms

    * liven * liven up

    Derived terms

    * enlivener * enlivenment

    See also

    * animate * brighten * cheer up * invigorate * quicken * vitalize

    References

    whet

    English

    Verb

    (whett)
  • To hone or rub on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose of sharpening – see whetstone.
  • * Milton
    • The mower whets his scythe.
  • * Byron
    • Here roams the wolf, the eagle whets his beak.
  • To stimulate or make more keen.
    • to whet one's appetite or one's courage
  • * Shakespeare
    • Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, / I have not slept.
  • * 2003-10-20 , Naomi Wolf, The Porn Myth] , [http://nymag.com/ New York Magazine
    • In the end, porn doesn’t whet men’s appetites—it turns them off the real thing.

    Derived terms

    * whetstone

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of whetting something.
  • That which whets or sharpens; especially, an appetizer.
  • * Spectator
  • * sips, drams, and whets

    • Anagrams

    *