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v. pelt·ed, pelt·ing, pelts v.tr. 1. a. To strike or assail repeatedly with thrown objects: pelted each other with snowballs. See Synonyms at barrage2. b. Archaic To strike (someone) with blows, as with a club. 2. To hurl or throw (missiles): children who pelted stones at the neighbors' windows. 3. To fall upon; strike repeatedly: Hailstones pelted the tent. v.intr. 1. To fall heavily or abundantly; beat: The rain pelted down all day. 2. To move at a vigorous gait: "A rider on a lathered horse came pelting down the Orange Plank Road" (Stephen W. Sears). [Middle English pelten, variant of pilten, perhaps ultimately from Latin pultāre, to beat, variant of pulsāre, frequentative of pellere, to strike; see pel-5 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] pelter n. |
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