From Middle English welten, from Old English weltan, wieltan, from Proto-Germanic *waltijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to turn; wind; twist”). Cognate with German wälzen, Danish vælte, Swedish välta, Icelandic velta.
First use appears c. 1425, a shoemaker's term. Perhaps related to Middle English welten (“to overturn, roll over”), from Old Norse velta (“to roll”). Meaning "ridge on the skin from a wound" first recorded 1800.
Meanings
A ridge or lump on the skin, as caused by a blow or insect bite.
She was nearly four feet long, with a large welt on her shell, which was encrusted with ancient-looking barnacles. 2014, Elizabeth Kolbert, chapter 7, in The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, Henry Holt and Company:
[…] I am sure of one thing,—scars are plenty enough in Germany, among the young men; and very grim ones they are, too. They criss-cross the face in angry red welts, and are permanent and ineffaceable. 1880, Mark Twain [pseudonym] (Samuel L[anghorne] Clemens), chapter VII, in A Tramp Abroad; […], Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company; London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, pages 64–65:
When she saw, on the back and shoulders of the child, great welts and calloused spots, ineffaceable marks of the system under which she had grown up thus far, her heart became pitiful within her. 1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, chapter XX, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume II, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC:
A strip, especially one around the edge of something (for example, in some old heraldry).
Therefore this may be taken for an Observation, that an edg, or hem, or welt, only runs on the sides of the Ordinary; but the Border invirons, or goeth clear round the same, […] 1688, Randle Holme, The academy of armory, book 1, chapter IV, "Of the Bend divers ways"
“The neighborhood is officially called Mid-City, but it is often referred to as Crenshaw. The area is wide and bright, a grid of small streets crisscrossed with boulevards and the welt of the I-10 freeway running along its southern edge.” 2018, Susan Orlean, chapter 6, in The Library Book:
… round about a border of Purple Veluet, with Floure de luces of Gold, embrodred to the full, with a welt and bordure of Ermines foure fingers broad. / Vpon the last named cloath or Couerlet of St / … 1623, André Favyn, The theater of honour and knight-hood […], book 10
(qualifier:shoemaking) A strip, especially one around the edge of something (for example, in some old heraldry). ▸ A strip of leather set into the seam between the outsole of a shoe and the upper, through which these parts are joined by stitching or stapling.
A strip, especially one around the edge of something (for example, in some old heraldry). ▸ A strip of material or covered cord applied to a seam or garment edge to strengthen or cover it.
[…] surmounted of another Azure: but in my Judgment, it rather represents a Hem, or Welt of a Belt, or an Edg of Silver, than two Belts one upon another; which the Bend properly signifie […] 1688, Randle Holme, The academy of armory, book 1, chapter IV, "Of the Bend divers ways"
[The] Mantle of this Order was of Skie-coloured Damask, having broad welt of Gold embroidered on the Collar, and [...] 1672, Elias Ashmole, The institution, laws & ceremonies of the most noble Order of the Garter, chapter III, section 1:
A strip, especially one around the edge of something (for example, in some old heraldry). ▸ In steam boilers and sheet-iron work, a strip riveted upon the edges of plates that form a butt joint.
A strip, especially one around the edge of something (for example, in some old heraldry). ▸ In carpentry, a strip of wood fastened over a flush seam or joint, or an angle, to strengthen it.
A strip, especially one around the edge of something (for example, in some old heraldry). ▸ In machine-made stockings, a strip, or flap, of which the heel is formed.
(obsolete, qualifier:shoemaking) A shoe made with a welt (strip of leather set into the seam).
Previous to the fifties, most of the shoes made were welts, or spring heels, and later most of the work changed to turns or "runrounds" as they were called. 1912, The Register of the Lynn Historical Society:
Nathan D. Chase, a well-to-do boss who accumulated enough wealth to retire in 1850 at middle age, observed that the prices for making shoes remained low from 1837 to 1842: 4 cents for red-bottomed cacks, 8 cents for women's turned slippers, 10 cents for thick-heeled runrounds, 12 cents for set heels, 20 cents for welts. 1981, Paul Gustaf Faler, Mechanics and Manufacturers in the Early Industrial Revolution, page 91:
it gonfiore (raised mark on the body) · izh rantti (strip of leather on a shoe) · it livido (raised mark on the body) · vi lằn roi (raised mark on the body) · cs šrám (raised mark on the body) · cs podlitina (raised mark on the body) · gd balt (strip of leather on a shoe) · cs zpevňující lem (strip of material applied to a seam) · pl ślad (raised mark on the body) · la vībex (raised mark on the body) · pl lamówka (strip of leather on a shoe) · ru рубе́ц (raised mark on the body) · de Strieme (raised mark on the body) · cs šlic (raised mark on the body) · gd balt (strip of material applied to a seam) · pl ściągacz (strip of material applied to a seam) · it pomfo (raised mark on the body) · pl obrzeże (strip of leather on a shoe) · ga riast (raised mark on the body) · cs obruba (strip of leather on a shoe) · bg следа от камшик (raised mark on the body) · ga lasca (strip of leather on a shoe) · cmn 鞭痕 (raised mark on the body) · ga fearb (raised mark on the body) · sv rand (strip of leather on a shoe) · pdt Knubbel (raised mark on the body) · gl vira (strip of leather on a shoe) · bg кант (strip of leather on a shoe) · tl pantal (raised mark on the body) · vi lằn (raised mark on the body) · ru рант (strip of leather on a shoe) · pl lamówka (strip of material applied to a seam) · pl pręga (raised mark on the body) · ga buinne (strip of leather on a shoe) · es roncha (raised mark on the body) · es habón (raised mark on the body) · bg скрит шев (strip of material applied to a seam) · is þrotarák (raised mark on the body) · pl obrzeże (strip of material applied to a seam) · pl ściągacz (strip of leather on a shoe) · it segno di frustata (raised mark on the body) · it tramezzo (strip of leather on a shoe) · dsb puchoŕk (raised mark on the body) · fr marque de coup (raised mark on the body) · de Quaddel (raised mark on the body) · is bólgurák (raised mark on the body) · mi kārawarawa (raised mark on the body) · ca vira (strip of leather on a shoe) · tl pamamantal (raised mark on the body) · cs lemovka (strip of leather on a shoe) · fr zébrure (raised mark on the body)
First use appears c. 1425, a shoemaker's term. Perhaps related to Middle English welten (“to overturn, roll over”), from Old Norse velta (“to roll”). Meaning "ridge on the skin from a wound" first recorded 1800.
Meanings
(transitive) To cause to have welts; to beat.
"Cover your scut, or I'll welt the skin off it." 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 113:
Well, gentlemen, I was standing with her just inside the window, in all innocence, as God is my judge, when he rushed like a madman into the room, called her the vilest name that a man could use to a woman, and welted her across the face with the stick he had in his hand. 1904 September, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Abbey Grange”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., published February 1905, →OCLC:
(transitive) To install welt (a welt or welts) to reinforce.
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
welts
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
welted
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
welted
Tense=Past
lexicographic
welting
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
Translations (6)
vi đánh nổi lằn (to cause to have welts) · pl spowodować obrzęki (to cause to have welts) · pl powodować obrzęki (to cause to have welts) · de falten (to cause to have welts) · eo bati (to cause to have welts) · de falzen (to cause to have welts)