hwetstan

Old English

Alternative forms

• hwettstān, hwetestān, huetistān
• hƿetstān — wynn spelling

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *hwatjastainaz, equivalent to hwettan (“to sharpen”) +‎ stān (“stone”). Akin to Old High German wezzistein ( > German Wetzstein).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxwetˌstɑːn/, [ˈʍetˌstɑːn]

Noun

hwetstān m

1. sharpening stone, whetstone

   Þā sċearpestan eċġe man wyrcþ mid þām stumpan hwetstāne.

   The sharpest edge is made with a blunt whetstone.

   Hēo hwette hiere seax on lȳtlum hwetstāne þe hēo of hiere pohhan ātēah.

   She sharpened her knife on a little whetstone that she'd pulled out of her pocket.

Declension

Declension of hwetstan (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	hwetstān	hwetstānas
accusative	hwetstān	hwetstānas
genitive	hwetstānes	hwetstāna
dative	hwetstāne	hwetstānum

Descendants

• Middle English: whestone, whetston, whetesston
  • English: whetstone, whestone