English Idiom – Whet your appetite.
To make you want more of something. To increase your interest in or desire for something. It’s often used about food, but you can whet someone’s appetite for anything – a holiday, a film, a new hobby.
The verb whet means to sharpen – like sharpening a knife on a stone. Be careful with spelling: lots of people write “wet your appetite”, but that’s a mistake!
Usage:
- You see photos of scrumptious food in a restaurant review.
- Friends are talking about your next holiday destination.
- You can smell delicious food cooking.
- You watch a trailer for a film you can’t wait to see.
Example:
- “I saw some photos of Macao last night. They really whetted my appetite for our trip next month!”
Learn More
Look it upWhet someone’s appetiteWiktionaryWhat is an idiom?
An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally. An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make you want more of something, or increase your interest in it.
“Whet” is correct. It means to sharpen. “Wet your appetite” is a common spelling mistake.
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