pelt vs tear

pelt

verb
  • To move rapidly, especially in or on a conveyance. 

  • Chiefly followed by at: to (continuously) throw (missiles) at. 

  • Especially of hailstones, rain, or snow: to beat down or fall forcefully or heavily; to rain down. 

  • To repeatedly beat or hit (someone or something). 

  • To remove the skin from (an animal); to skin. 

  • To force (someone or something) to move using blows or the throwing of missiles. 

  • Of a number of small objects (such as raindrops), or the sun's rays: to beat down or fall on (someone or something) in a shower. 

  • Chiefly followed by from: to remove (the skin) from an animal. 

  • To bombard (someone or something) with missiles. 

  • To assail (someone) with harsh words in speech or writing; to abuse, to insult. 

noun
  • A blow or stroke from something thrown. 

  • A tattered or worthless piece of clothing; a rag. 

  • The skin of an animal with the hair or wool on; either a raw or undressed hide, or a skin preserved with the hair or wool on it (sometimes worn as a garment with minimal modification). 

  • The fur or hair of a living animal. 

  • The skin of an animal (especially a goat or sheep) with the hair or wool removed, often in preparation for tanning. 

  • Human skin, especially when bare; also, a person's hair. 

  • A beating or falling down of hailstones, rain, or snow in a shower. 

  • An act of moving quickly; a rush. 

  • Anything in a ragged and worthless state; rubbish, trash. 

tear

verb
  • To move or act with great speed, energy, or violence. 

  • To destroy or reduce abstract unity or coherence, such as social, political or emotional. 

  • To injure as if by pulling apart. 

  • To produce tears. 

  • To make (an opening) with force or energy. 

  • To become torn, especially accidentally. 

  • To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate. 

  • To remove by tearing. 

  • To smash or enter something with great force. 

  • To demolish 

noun
  • A rampage. 

  • A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass. 

  • A hole or break caused by tearing. 

  • A drop of clear, salty liquid produced from the eyes by crying or irritation. 

  • Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins. 

  • That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge. 

How often have the words pelt and tear occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )