to whet → to improve 6 realizations
ACCEPTED Realization 1
type Polysemy
language German
lexeme wetzen
meaning 1 to sharpen
direction →
meaning 2 to sharpen (fig.)
reference
comment
ACCEPTED Realization 2
type Polysemy
language German
lexeme schärfen
meaning 1 to sharpen (a knife, a razor, a pensil etc),
direction →
meaning 2 to develop, to refine (ear etc)
reference
comment
ACCEPTED Realization 3
type Polysemy
language German
lexeme schleifen
meaning 1 to sharpen
direction →
meaning 2 to polish (fig.)
reference
comment
ACCEPTED Realization 4
type Polysemy
language Mandarin Chinese
lexeme zhĭ
meaning 1 to sharpen
direction →
meaning 2 to perfect (virtues etc)
reference
comment Initially zhĭ 'grindstone' БКРС 11471
ACCEPTED Realization 5
type Polysemy
language Mandarin Chinese
lexeme dĭ
meaning 1 to sharpen, to polish
direction →
meaning 2 to perfect, to improve
reference
comment БКРС 11450
ACCEPTED Realization 6
type Derivation
language Russian
lexeme 1 точить (točit')
lexeme 2 оттачивать (ottačivat')
meaning 1 to sharpen
direction →
meaning 2 to hone оттачивать мастерство
to hone one's skills
reference
comment

© Anna A. Zalizniak et al. 2000-2025