to pelt along

8.0

Move very fast along a street or path

phrasal verb

Informal

: correr

She pelted along the corridor, afraid she would be late for the meeting.

Examples

The children pelted along the beach, laughing and splashing in the surf.
As the rain began to pour, commuters pelted along the street toward the nearest shelter.
The children pelted along the beach.
Don't pelt along without looking!
As the rain began to pour, commuters pelted along the street toward the nearest shelter.
She pelted along the corridor, afraid she would be late for the meeting.
The children pelted along the beach, laughing and splashing in the surf.

Synonyms

to rush

vsto pelt along

548 1.0

To move or act quickly because a situation needs it

is similar in hurry but usually lacks aggressive or attacking sense

to move it

vsto pelt along

Informal

512 6.7

To hurry so you do something faster, often to avoid being late

conveys the same need for speed but not the mover's own action

to speed

vsto pelt along

137 1.0

To move or travel quickly, often faster than allowed

matches fast movement but lacks the sense of hurrying in one way

to race

vsto pelt along

91 1.0

To move or work very quickly to reach a goal

is similar but focuses on swift physical movement in one direction

to scurry

vsto pelt along

54 3.1

To move quickly with short, hurried steps because you feel afraid or rushed

is similar in speed but not specifically small steps or fear

to step on it

vsto pelt along

Informal

35 5.2

To hurry and go faster, often when driving

is the same idea of speed but not a direct command to move

to scoot

vsto pelt along

Informal

29 2.8

Move a short distance quickly, often to make room or hurry

matches sudden motion but is generally more neutral and hurried

to flit

vsto pelt along

18 6.1

To move quickly and lightly from one place to another

shares quickness but is lighter and less direct in direction

to hasten

vsto pelt along

7 3.9

Move quickly to do something

matches speed but is often used for acting, not only moving

to make tracks

vsto pelt along

Informal

5 7.2

Leave quickly to go somewhere or to avoid trouble

is similar speedwise but lacks the leaving to avoid focus

to step lively

vsto pelt along

Informal

4 5.5

Move quickly when someone tells you to hurry

shares quick action but stresses following an order rather than personal hurry

to hie

vsto pelt along

Archaic

2 9.9

To go quickly to a place, often used in old writing

matches quick movement but differs in formal or archaic register

to hotfoot

vsto pelt along

Informal

1 7.7

To move quickly on foot

shares hurried motion but is often used in playful contexts too

to leg it

vsto pelt along

1 9.0

Move quickly on foot to escape or reach a place fast

shares fast motion but is less strongly tied to escaping

to rush along

vsto pelt along

1 2.7

To move quickly in one direction

is the same but more colloquial and vivid in tone

to gallop across

vsto pelt along

1 3.5

To move very fast across the ground like a horse

shares speed but emphasizes smooth, sustained motion rather than hurry

to pelt down

vsto pelt along

Informal

1 7.2

To run or move very quickly without control

is similar but usually implies slightly more control and direction

to belt along

vsto pelt along

Informal

6.0

To move very quickly, usually by running or driving

expresses the same speed but less about force or momentum

to cannonball along

vsto pelt along

Informal

7.1

To move very quickly in a straight, forceful way

is similar but usually less forceful and more hurried than driven

to bucket along

vsto pelt along

7.8

To move quickly by car or on foot

is the same rapid movement but without vehicle emphasis

to elance

vsto pelt along

9.9

To move suddenly and fast in one direction

is similar but often implies a single sudden thrust rather than sustained haste

Antonyms

to crawl

406 1.0

To move forward slowly on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground

to linger

207 3.7

To stay in a place longer than expected because you do not want to leave

How Fast

to sprint

46 1.0

to pelt along

Informal

8.0

to rush

548 1.0

to hurry

∞ 1.0

to walk

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

pelt along infinitive

pelted along past

pelted along past participle

pelting along present participle

pelts along third person singular

Morphology

pelt + along

The particle 'along' clearly signals movement in a direction, but the verb 'pelt' is low-frequency and semantically ambiguous (it can mean 'to throw', 'to rain heavily', or in some dialects 'to move quickly'). A B1 learner who only knows the common senses of the constituents would not reliably infer the rapid/hurried sense, so the motion component is partly transparent but the speed aspect is not fully predictable.

Etymology

Pelt along may come from the old use of pelt meaning 'to hit hard', as when rain 'pelts' down. Picture someone running so fast their feet seem to pelt the ground as they go along a road. That's why pelt along means 'to move very quickly'.