We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By clicking 'continue' or by continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings in your browser at any time.

Continue
Find out more

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

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.

[O.Sc. pelt, to beat, 1535.]

20611

snd