▪ I. kelt1
(kɛlt)
[Etym. unknown.]
A salmon, sea-trout, or herling, in bad condition after spawning, before returning to the sea.
| c 1340 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 36 In playces et keltis emp., 6s. 1793 Statist. Acc. Scotl., Forfar. VIII. 204 No salmon; except at the end of the fishing season, when a few of what are called foul fish, or kelt, are caught. 1834 Jardine in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club I. No. 3. 51 The return of the old fish or kelts to the sea. 1884 T. Speedy Sport vii. 80 Good runs with sea-trout kelts of considerable size. 1937 Evening News 15 Feb. 8/5 A kelt—that is a fish which has paid its visit to the gravel beds—is a sad wreck and is in no form to put up a fight. An otter can deal with such salmon. 1963 Times 26 Jan. 11/4 If the fish has shed only a few eggs..it is still technically and in law a kelt. |
| attrib. 1883 Fisheries Exhib. Catal. (ed. 4) 96 Large Kelt Salmon..with arrow-headed parasites in the gills. |
Hence ˈkelty a., like a kelt.
| 1884 Chamb. Jrnl. 29 Mar. 204/2 Nothing but huge, lanky, kelty-looking fish. |
▪ II. kelt2 Sc. and north. dial.
[Of obscure origin. Ir. and Gael. cealt cloth, clothing, may be from Eng. or Sc. Cf. kelter1.]
A kind of homespun cloth or frieze, usually of black and white wool mixed, formerly used for outer garments by country people in Scotland and N. England. Also attrib.
| 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 573 in Satir. Poems Reform. xlv, Ane hamelie hat; a cott of kelt Weill beltit in ane lethrone belt. 1611 Rates (Jam. s.v. Kendilling), Kelt or kendall freese. 1791 Statist. Acc. Scotl. I. 356 They [farmers c 1750] were clothed in a homespun suit of freezed cloth, called Kelt. a 1833 Anderson Cumbld. Ball. (1840) 123 note, An oaken staff, a pair of clogs, and a kelt surtout. |
b. fig. Applied to a sheep's fleece.
| 1722–8 Ramsay Ram & Buck 38 Ye've a very ragged kelt on. |
▪ III. kelt, keltch
varr. kelch.
▪ IV. kelt
erroneous form of celt2.
| 1862 Latham Channel Isl. iii. xviii. (ed. 2) 414 Kelts, arrow⁓heads..and hammers, all of stone. |
▪ V. kelt
obs. form of kilt n.1