pelt
pelt — verb
- peltpresent simple I / you / we / they
- peltshe / she / it
- peltedpast simple
- pelting-ing form
1. to attack someone or something by repeatedly throwing hard objects such as stone
to attack someone or something by repeatedly throwing hard objects such as stones, eggs, or bottles at them, especially in anger or protest
During the protest, a small crowd began pelting the police van with empty bottles.
pelt + object + with + thrown items
The children pelted each other with snowballs until their fingers went numb from the cold.
When the losing team left the field, angry fans pelted them with cups and cushions.
Some teenagers pelted the old factory wall with eggs and rotten tomatoes just for fun.
The speaker's car was pelted with fruit as he drove away from the angry crowd.
文法句型
pelt + object + with + objects
用法筆記
The object receiving the thrown items is the direct object; the things being thrown follow 'with'. This sense is stronger and more aggressive than simply 'throw at'.
常見錯誤
2. to move very quickly, especially when running, often in a sudden rush or to get
to move very quickly, especially when running, often in a sudden rush or to get somewhere fast
The dog slipped its collar and pelted down the street after a stray cat.
pelted + down [direction]
As rain began to fall, Maeve pelted across the park towards the bus shelter.
The children pelted out of the classroom the moment the lunch bell rang.
Nadia pelted up the stairs to answer the phone before the caller hung up.
Folake pelted along the railway platform, hoping she would still catch the train.
文法句型
pelt + direction adverb/preposition
用法筆記
This sense is informal and primarily British. The verb is almost always followed by a direction word or phrase (down, across, out of, along, up) that indicates the path or destination.
常見錯誤
3. when rain, hail, or snow falls with great force and in large amounts, often driv
when rain, hail, or snow falls with great force and in large amounts, often driven by wind so that it strikes surfaces hard
We were about to leave the house when the rain started pelting down from the dark sky.
pelting down — common phrasal pattern for rain
Huge hailstones pelted against the tin roof of the shed, making a deafening noise.
hail + pelt + against [surface]
Bilal got completely soaked because the rain was pelting down without any sign of stopping.
The wind howled through the trees and the rain pelted sideways against the windowpanes all night.
Snow pelted the hikers' faces as they struggled up the mountain trail in the storm.
- pour
describes steady, heavy rain but less forceful — 'it's pouring' is more common in everyday speech
- lash
suggests rain driven violently by wind, more dramatic
- bucket down
very informal British idiom meaning the same as 'pelt down'
文法句型
it + pelt + down
rain/hail + pelt + against/on + surface
用法筆記
Common in the phrasal structure 'pelt down' for heavy rain. The subject is almost always weather-related (rain, hail, sleet, snow). In informal British English, 'it's pelting down' means it's raining very heavily.
常見錯誤
pelt — noun
- peltsingular
- peltsplural
1. the skin taken from a dead creature, either with the fur still on or after the f
the skin taken from a dead creature, either with the fur still on or after the fur has been stripped off, usually prepared for use in making clothing, rugs, or other goods
The trapper sold the beaver pelts at the local market for a surprisingly good price.
beaver pelts — common collocation
At the museum, visitors learned how indigenous peoples used animal pelts for clothing and shelter.
The old coat in the attic was made from a bear pelt, with the thick brown fur still intact.
Traders exchanged iron tools for the soft otter pelts that local hunters brought to the river camp.
用法筆記
A 'pelt' differs from 'hide' in scale: a pelt typically comes from a smaller or medium-sized animal (beaver, fox, rabbit) and is valued for its fur; a hide comes from a large animal (cow, horse) and is used for leather.
常見錯誤
2. the fastest possible speed, used only in the fixed phrase 'at full pelt' to desc
the fastest possible speed, used only in the fixed phrase 'at full pelt' to describe someone or something moving as quickly as possible
The deer ran at full pelt through the forest when it heard the hunters approaching.
at full pelt — fixed phrase
Rodrigo cycled at full pelt down the steep hill, his coat flapping behind him.
Hearing their mother call for dinner, the twins came running at full pelt from the garden.
The ambulance raced at full pelt along the narrow country road towards the hospital.
- at full speed
neutral register, can describe any vehicle or movement
- at top speed
similar meaning, more common in American English
- flat out
informal, used for vehicles and people exerting maximum effort
文法句型
at full pelt
用法筆記
This noun only appears in the fixed phrase 'at full pelt'. It cannot be used alone ('He ran at pelt' is incorrect). It is similar in meaning to 'at full speed' but specifically describes running or fast movement on land.