verb (used with object)
- to attack or assail with repeated blows or with missiles.
- to throw (missiles).
- to drive by blows or missiles: The child pelted the cows home from the fields.
- to assail vigorously with words, questions, etc.
- 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)
- to strike blows; beat with force or violence.
- to throw missiles.
- to hurry.
- to beat or pound unrelentingly: The wind, rain, and snow pelted against the castle walls.
- to cast abuse.
noun
- the act of pelting.
- a vigorous stroke; whack.
- a blow with something thrown.
- speed.
- an unrelenting or repeated beating, as of rain or wind.
verb
- (tr) to throw (missiles) at (a person)
- (tr) to hurl (insults) at (a person)
- (intr; foll by along, over, etc) to move rapidly; hurry
- (intr often foll by down) to rain heavily
noun
- a blow
- speed (esp in the phrase at full pelt)
noun
- the skin of a fur-bearing animal, such as a mink, esp when it has been removed from the carcass
- the hide of an animal, stripped of hair and ready for tanning
v.“to strike” (with something), c.1500, of unknown origin; perhaps from early 13c. pelten “to strike,” variant of pilten “to thrust, strike,” from an unrecorded Old English *pyltan, from Medieval Latin *pultiare, from Latin pultare “to beat, knock, strike.” Or from Old French peloter “to strike with a ball,” from pelote “ball” (see pellet (n.)) [Klein]. Watkins says the source is Latin pellere “to push, drive, strike.” Related: Pelted; pelting. n.“skin of a fur-bearing animal,” early 15c., of uncertain origin, perhaps a contraction of pelet (late 13c. in Anglo-Latin), from Old French pelete “fine skin, membrane,” diminutive of pel “skin,” from Latin pellis “skin, hide” (see film (n.)). Or perhaps the source of the English word is Anglo-French pelterie, Old French peletrie “fur skins,” from Old French peletier “furrier,” from pel.