pelt

¹ American  

[pelt] / pɛlt /

verb (used with object)

1. to attack or assail with repeated blows or with missiles.

2. to throw (missiles).

3. to drive by blows or missiles.

   The child pelted the cows home from the fields.

4. to assail vigorously with words, questions, etc.

5. to beat or rush against with repeated forceful blows.

   The wind and rain pelted the roofs and walls of the houses for four days.

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verb (used without object)

1. to strike blows; beat with force or violence.

2. to throw missiles.

3. to hurry.

4. to beat or pound unrelentingly.

   The wind, rain, and snow pelted against the castle walls.

5. to cast abuse.

noun

1. the act of pelting.

2. a vigorous stroke; whack.

3. a blow with something thrown.

4. speed.

   running at full pelt.

5. an unrelenting or repeated beating, as of rain or wind.

pelt ² American  

[pelt] / pɛlt /

noun

1. the untanned hide or skin of an animal.

2. Facetious. the human skin.

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idioms

1. in one's pelt, naked.

pelt ¹ British  

/ pɛlt /

verb

1. (tr) to throw (missiles) at (a person)

2. (tr) to hurl (insults) at (a person)

3. (intr; foll by along, over, etc) to move rapidly; hurry

4. to rain heavily

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noun

1. a blow

2. speed (esp in the phrase at full pelt )

pelt ² British  

/ pɛlt /

noun

1. the skin of a fur-bearing animal, such as a mink, esp when it has been removed from the carcass

2. the hide of an animal, stripped of hair and ready for tanning

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Related Words

See skin.

Other Word Forms

• pelter noun
• peltish adjective
• peltless adjective
• unpelted adjective

Etymology

Origin of pelt¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; Middle English pilten, pelten; further origin uncertain

Origin of pelt²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; perhaps back formation from peltry; compare Old French pelete, derivative of Latin pellis “skin”

Example Sentences

Japan's yukigassen federation emphasises the "mental challenge" posed by the game, in which players on both teams pelt their opponents while taking cover behind shelters.

From Barron's

The weak atmosphere and magnetic field also allow carcinogenic cosmic radiation to pelt Mars’s surface: One day spent outdoors there equals about two years of radiation exposure on Earth.

From The Wall Street Journal

He shut off the water and began massaging shampoo into Jeff’s curly pelt.

From Literature

Back before it became unfashionable, I used to procure skins and pelts from such animals for coats, purses, and shoes.

From Literature

Rain pelts the windows and gathers in puddles along the edge of the house.

From Literature

Related Words

• assail
• batter
• bombard
• hurl
• pepper
• pummel
• shower