▪ I. † palt, n. Obs.
[f. palt v.: by-form of pelt n.2]
A blow, a stroke: = pelt n.2
| 1625 Purchas Pilgrims ii. vi. vi. 887 Lifting vp the woodden weapon, he gaue him such a palt on the pate. 1630 Tinker of Turvey (1859) 17 Another gave me three palts on the head, my scull was cracked. |
▪ II. † palt, v.1 Obs.
[By-form of pelt, pilt, pult v.]
trans. To thrust, put forcibly.
| a 1380 Cristene-mon & Jew 99 in Min. P. Vernon MS. 487 Men schal in prison þe palt [rimes malt, for-talt] And putte þe to pyne. |
▪ III. † palt, v.2 Obs.
Also 6 pault.
[By-form of pelt v. The phonetic change is unexplained.]
1. trans. To drive with missiles.
| 1637 Heywood Dial. iv. Wks. 1874 VI. 184 Yon hill, from whose high crest I with more ease with stones may palt them hence. |
2. To strike with repeated blows of missiles; to assail with missiles.
| 1579 Gosson Apol. Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 64 The dirty Champions that stoode a loofe, paulted the buckler bearers on the shinnes. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. iv. 8 The whole multitude to the very children, pursued and palted them with staves and stones. 1700 T. Brown Amusem. Ser. & Com. 110 Their Father was palted with hundreds of them [eggs]..on the Pillory. 1740 Dyche & Pardon, Palting or Pelting, the act of throwing stones, dirt, &c. at a person. |
b. fig. To assail with obloquy or reproaches.
| 1697 Collier Immor. Stage iii. (1698) 111 Do the Antient Poets palt it in this Manner? 1701 ― M. Aurel. (1726) 28 When the Emperor was once dead, he palts his memory to some purpose. |
3. intr. To deliver repeated blows; to discharge missiles.
| 1606 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. ii. Trophies 263 Am I a Dog,..To be with stones repell'd and palted at? |
4. To go with effort; to trudge.
| 1560 Nice Wanton in Hazl. Dodsley II. 165 Now pretty sister, what sport shall we devise? Thus palting to school, I think us unwise. |