pelt

UK: /ˈpɛlt/ US: /pɛlt/ ,(pelt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pelt¹ /pɛlt/   v. 

1. to attack (someone) with repeated blows:
   [~ + object] The crowd began to pelt him with rocks.
2. to attack (someone) with shouting, etc.:
   [~ + object] pelted with questions about his new policy.
3. to beat or pound without stopping:
   [no object] rain pelting down.

pelt² /pɛlt/   n. [uncountable]

1. Clothing the untanned hide or skin of an animal.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pelt¹  (pelt), v.t. 

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.

v.i. 

6. to strike blows;
   beat with force or violence.
7. to throw missiles.
8. to hurry.
9. to beat or pound unrelentingly:
   The wind, rain, and snow pelted against the castle walls.
10. to cast abuse.

n. 

11. the act of pelting.
12. a vigorous stroke;
    whack.
13. a blow with something thrown.
14. speed.
15. an unrelenting or repeated beating, as of rain or wind.

• origin, originally uncertain 1490–1500

pelt²  (pelt), n. 

1. Clothing the untanned hide or skin of an animal.
2. Slang Terms [Facetious.] the human skin.
3. in one's pelt, [Facetious.] naked.

• 1275–1325; Middle English; perh. back formation from peltry; compare Old French pelete, derivative of Latin pellis skin

pelt′ish, adj. 
pelt′less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. See skin. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pelt / pɛlt/ verb

1. (transitive) to throw (missiles) at (a person)
2. (transitive) to hurl (insults) at (a person)
3. (intr; followed by along, over, etc) to move rapidly; hurry
4. (intransitive) often followed by down: to rain heavily

noun

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

Etymology: 15th Century: of uncertain origin, perhaps from pellet

pelt / 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

Etymology: 15th Century: perhaps back formation from peltry