hwettan

Meaning

1. to sharpen

2. to incite, encourage, whet

   Forþon nū mīn hyġe hweorfeð ofer hreþerlocan; mīn mōdsefa mid mereflōde ofer hwæles ēþel hweorfeð wīde, eorþan sċēatas, cymeð eft tō mē ġīfre ond grǣdiġ; ġielleð ānfloga, hweteð on wæl weġ hreþer unwearnum ofer holma ġelagu.

   Thus, my mind now wanders over heartstead; my soul wanders afar with the sea-flood over whale’s home, on the Earth’s corners, comes back, greedy and hungry, to me; the lone-flyer yells, whets the soul on the slain way over the stretch of waters with no refuses.

   10th century, The Seafarer:

Conjugation