elt

Meanings

Verb

• To injure (anything) by rough handling; handle roughly.
• To begrime; soil with mud; daub; smear.
• To work persistently or laboriously; be occupied in working (e.g. in the earth, rake among dirt, etc.).
• To meddle; interfere.
• To knead dough; stir dough previously kneaded to a proper consistency before baking.
• To become soft; become moist, as damp earth.

Noun

• Abbreviation of element

Origin

• From Middle English elten, a borrowing from Old Norse elta, from Proto-Germanic *alatjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ela-, *el(ʷ)-, *lā-. Cognate with Danish ælte, Swedish älta, Norwegian elte, Norwegian elta, Icelandic elta.
• Shortening.