pelt

¹

[pelt]

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.

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

[pelt]

noun

1. the untanned hide or skin of an animal.

2. Facetious.,  the human skin.

pelt

¹

/ 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

noun

1. a blow

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

pelt

²

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pelt¹

C15: of uncertain origin, perhaps from _pellet

Origin of pelt²

C15: perhaps back formation from _peltry

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in one's pelt, naked.

Synonym Study

See skin.

Example Sentences

“I have come for justice! Blood for blood! A pelt for a pelt!”

Read more on Literature

“Well, well, well—the wolf children and their governess. What are you doing up here, then? Other than pelting me with nuts, I mean?”

Read more on Literature

It was no ghost, merely a gray-furred pelt stuffed with sawdust and outfitted with yellow glass eyes that reflected the candlelight in a hauntingly lifelike way.

Read more on Literature

But, overall, some travelers dodged shutdown bullets, others were pelted as airlines canceled more than 10,000 flights in the last week alone.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The damage could have happened while it was pelted with debris from the fire and the engine detatching.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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