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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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PELT, v.¹, n.¹, adv. Also ¶puilt; and freq. form pelter (Ork. 1965). Sc. usages:

I. v. 1. tr. To strike with repeated blows, belabour, in 1827 quot. with cognate object, of a clock striking. Deriv. peltie, n., a shipyard hammer (wm.Sc. 1965); pelter, In phr. to give or get pelters, To give or receive verbal abuse.Ags. 1820 D. Wyllie Misc. Pieces 5:
They feght sae with bills, And black-nibbet quills, When they should be pelting their study.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 134:
Sanct Salvador's lang strappan steeple Had peltit five hours to the people.Gsw. 1992 Herald 1 Dec 14:
Meanwhile, on the imaginary gift front Michael Kelly continues to receive pelters. Kenneth Dreghorn of Kilmalcolm unkindly suggests a suitable item in Michael's stocking might be a PR man.Gsw. 1998 Herald 24 Mar 33:
This obviously is not good for one supporter who is busy giving Ally McCoist pelters. Super Ally latches on to a pass and lashes the ball into the net.Gsw. 1998 Herald 8 May 23:
Old Firm fans have been irate of late, with good cause. We hear of a gent of the Ibrox persuation who was giving his team pelters as they left the field at half-time. "Boo! F***ing Boo!" he uttered most eloquently.Sc. 1998 Herald 26 Aug 17:
No-one escapes their mirthful wrath: Bill Clinton's little local Lewinsky difficulty inspires a skit of graphic excess; Michael Flatley gets absolute pelters; ...Sc. 1999 Herald 20 Sep 5:
On a rare visit to watch his property, John Hall, the Clydebank owner, received pelters. So sustained was the chorus of abuse from the fans that Ayr's supporters started a counterblast of their own to protect him.Sc. 2001 Evening Times 3 Jul 48:
Now he's signed a one-year deal with Thistle, and he said today: "I got pelters from the Thistle fans when Stenhousemuir won 4-0 and 2-0".Sc. 2003 Evening Times 8 Apr 12:
It used to be mainly posh BBC newsreaders who got pelters for not being able to pronounce Scottish place names properly.

2. intr., absol. or with prep. at: to keep hammering or striking. Vbl.n. peltin, the dealing of blows.Abd. 1817 J. Christie Instructions 159:
Let them pelt there till they be wearie.Slk. 1827 Hogg Shep. Cal. xi.:
He spit upon his hand and fell a-clinking and pelting at the stithy.wm.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 382:
Siccan shines were there — Siccan noisy peltin'.Uls. 1884 Cruck-a-Leaghan and Slieve Gallion Lays and Leg. 55:
Forgin' an' batin' hot metal an' swatin' . . . They pech'd an' they pelted.

3. Fig. tr. and intr., to work energetically, to exert oneself (at) (Sh., Bnff. 1965).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 124:
"I got 'ir peltin' up the washan." "He peltit on at the cuttan a' day."Bnff. 1901 Banffshire Jnl. (12 Feb.):
We pelt nae there wi' weary flail The lang dark mornin's through.Ork. 1929 Marw., rare:
Puiltan an' threshan' wi' a flail.Uls. 1953 Traynor:
He pelted away at the work.

II. n. 1. A swift blow, a "cuff", buffet (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Ork., Ags. 1965). Also fig. Obs. in Eng.Sc. 1724 Chrons. Atholl and Tullibardine Families II. 366:
She got such a pelt on the side of the head with his hand that dang her to the ground.Sc. 1728 Analecta Scot. (Maidment) I. 321:
The pelts, I have got from some Jacobite and highflying writers on the other side.Sc. 1771 Smollett H. Clinker Melford to Phillips (1 July):
The cripple . . . gave him such a good pelt on the head with his crutch, that the blood followed.Fif. 1812 W. Tennant Anster Fair v. lvi.:
On Michael's white bald pate discharge thou quick A pelt enough to stun the wizard wight.Ayr. a.1839 Galt Demon of Destiny iv. 26:
When pityless adversity assails With pelt and scorn, the would be great.

2. The sound of a heavy fall, a thump, dull thud.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 153:
Some at the door fell wi' a pelt.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 124:
A hard the pelt o't fin it fell aff o' the hehd o' the hoose.

III. adv. Heavily, with great force, with a thud, "bang".Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 124:
He fell pelt our the dyke in o' the ditch.