pelt
Meanings
- The skin of an animal with the hair or wool on; either a raw or undressed hide, or a skin preserved with the hair or wool on it (sometimes worn as a garment with minimal modification).
- The skin of an animal (especially a goat or sheep) with the hair or wool removed, often in preparation for tanning.
- The fur or hair of a living animal.
- Human skin, especially when bare; also, a person's hair.
- A garment made from animal skins.
- The body of any quarry killed by a hawk; also, a dead bird given to a hawk for food.
- To remove the skin from (an animal); to skin.
- Chiefly followed by from: to remove (the skin) from an animal.
- To remove feathers from (a bird).
- To bombard (someone or something) with missiles.
- To force (someone or something) to move using blows or the throwing of missiles.
- Of a number of small objects (such as raindrops), or the sun's rays: to beat down or fall on (someone or something) in a shower.
- Chiefly followed by at: to (continuously) throw (missiles) at.
- To repeatedly beat or hit (someone or something).
- To assail (someone) with harsh words in speech or writing; to abuse, to insult.
- Especially of hailstones, rain, or snow: to beat down or fall forcefully or heavily; to rain down.
- To move rapidly, especially in or on a conveyance.
- Chiefly followed by at: to bombard someone or something with missiles continuously.
- To throw out harsh words; to show anger.
- A beating or falling down of hailstones, rain, or snow in a shower.
- A blow or stroke from something thrown.
- A verbal insult; a jeer, a jibe, a taunt.
- A fit of anger; an outburst, a rage.
- An act of moving quickly; a rush.
- A tattered or worthless piece of clothing; a rag.
- Anything in a ragged and worthless state; rubbish, trash.
- To bargain for a better deal; to haggle.
- Alternative form of pelta.
- A small shield, especially one of an approximately elliptical form, or crescent-shaped.
- A flat apothecium with no rim.
- A surname.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
The noun is inherited from Middle English pelt (“skin of a sheep, especially without the wool”); further etymology uncertain, possibly: * from Middle English pellet (“skin of an animal, especially a sheep”), from Anglo-Norman pelette, pellet, and Old French pelete, pelette (“thin layer, film, skin; epidermis; foreskin”), from pel (“skin; garment made of animal skin, pelisse”) (from Latin pellis (“animal skin, hide, pelt; leather; garment made of animal skin”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pel- (“to cover; to wrap; hide; skin; cloth”)) + -ete (diminutive suffix); or * from Late Latin peletta, pelleta, pelletta (“skin of an animal, especially a sheep”). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Norwegian Bokmål pels (“fur; fur coat”) * Norwegian Nynorsk pels (“fur; fur coat”)