1. v. & n.
--v.
1. tr. (usu. foll. by with) a hurl many small missiles at. b strike repeatedly with missiles. c assail (a person etc.) with insults, abuse, etc.
2 intr. (usu. foll. by down) (of rain etc.) fall quickly and torrentially.
3 intr. run fast.
4 intr. (often foll. by at) fire repeatedly.
--n. the act or an instance of pelting.
Phrases and idioms:
at full pelt as fast as possible.
Etymology: 16th c.: orig. unkn. 2. n.1 the undressed skin of a fur-bearing mammal.
2 the skin of a sheep, goat, etc. with short wool, or stripped ready for tanning.
3 joc. the human skin.
Derivatives:
peltry n.
Etymology: ME f. obs. pellet skin, dimin. of pel f. AF pell, OF pel, or back-form. f. peltry, AF pelterie, OF peleterie f. peletier furrier, ult. f. L pellis skin