חָדַד (b. h.) [to cut, point,] to be sharp, pointed.
Pi. - חִידֵּד to sharpen, whet, point. Y. Bets. V, 63ᵇ top לחַדֵּד ראשו וכ׳ they differ as to pointing the top of the spit (on the Holy Day)—Trnsf. to whet the mind, to try somebody’s acumen, to puzzle. Taan. 7ᵃ (ref. to Prov. XXVII, 17) אף … מְחַדְּדִין וכ׳ so do two scholars whet each other’s mind &c. Naz. 59ᵇ, a. e. לא אמר … לחַדֵּד בה וכ׳ R. J. said it only in order to encourage the students in raising points; a. e.—Part. pass. מְחוּדָּד sharpened, well discussed, clear and ready. Kidd. 30ᵃ (ref. to ושננתם, Deut. VI, 7) שיהו ד"ת מְחוּדָּדִים בפיך that the words of the Law be ever ready in thy mouth (Sifré Deut. 34 מְסוּדָּרִים), v. גִּמְגֵּם.
Hithpa. - הִתְחַדֵּד to be whetted. Gen. R. s. 69 אין סכין מִתְחַדֶּדֶת וכ׳ a knife is whetted on the broad side of another, כך אין ת"ח מִתְחַדֵּד וכ׳ so is a student’s mind whetted by a fellow-student, v. supra.