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. introften foll bydown 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

Derived Forms

• ˈpelter, noun

Other Words From

• un·pelted adjective

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, Facetious. naked ( def 1 ).

Synonym Study

See skin.

Example Sentences

"Our results are strong evidence for tailored garment production using bone needles and fur-bearing animal pelts. These garments partially enabled modern human dispersal to northern latitudes and eventually enabled colonization of the Americas."

From Science Daily

The force of the impact slammed Assi into the dirt and pelted her with shrapnel.

From New York Times

Top police official Aunjaneya Kumar Singh told the Hindu that protesters allegedly pelted stones at the police, leaving them with no option but to use force to escort the survey team to safety.

From BBC

Mr Wong was among thousands who held a 15-hour siege of police headquarters in the Wan Chai district, pelting the building with eggs and spraying graffiti on its walls, in June that year.

From BBC

Last week the king and queen of Spain were pelted with mud and other objects by angry protesters during a visit to the town of Paiporta, one of the worst affected.

From BBC

Related Words

• wool