Obs. exc. dial. Also 3–5 walte, 6–8 wolt, 9 dial. waut. Contracted pa. t. and pple. 4–5 walt. [early ME. walten = OHG. walzan, MHG. walzen (strong) to roll, revolve (intr. and trans.); the OTeat. root *walt- appears to be an extension of *wal- (*wel-) to roll: see WALLOW v. Cf. WELT. v.]
1. trans. (with obj. clause). To revolve in the mind, consider. [So OHG. walzan.]
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 29. Witte wel hwat þu hauest walte hwat þe tide.
2. To throw, cast, toss out, over, up, etc.; to fling to the ground; to overturn, upset.
Cf. ROOT-WALT v. (1532–).
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1734. [Tekel] To teche þe of techal, þat terme þus menes, Þy wale rengne is walt in weȝtes to heng, & is funde ful fewe of hit fayth dedes.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1336. Þay … grayþely departed Þe wesaunt fro þe wynt-hole, & walt out þe guttez.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 4633. The storme … walt vp the wilde se vppon wan hilles. Ibid., 5888. [Thai] woundit hom wikkedly, walt hom to ground.
c. 1400. Sege Jerus., 351. Or y to þe walles schal wende & walten alle ouere.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. vii. 13. Ane part haistis to beild the wallis wicht, And sum to … wolt wp stanes to the werk on hie.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, 51. To Walt,… to overthrow.
1703. Thoresby, Lett. to Ray, To Welt, or Wolt, overturn Cart or Wain.
1875. Lancs. Gloss., Waut, to upset; to turn completely over.
1883. Almondbury Gloss. Walt, to turn over…. ‘Nay, lad; it ud walt ma table ovver.’
3. intr. To be thrown down, fall over, be upset or overturned; to totter; to lean to one side.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 909. As þe welkyn shold walt, a wonderfull noyse Skremyt vp to the skrow.
c. 1400. Sege Jerus., 69. Ouer wilde wawes he wende, as alle walte scholde.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., Ador. Sheph., 268. Ware lest thou walt here by the wall.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, 51. To Walt, to totter, or lean one way.
1875. Lancs. Gloss., Want,… to fall on one side.
1883. Almondbury Gloss., Walt, to totter, or fall over.
b. With open: To be opened; to gape wide.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 501. Þen went þay to þe wykket, hit walt vpon sone.
c. 1400. Melayne, 1145. So depe wondes þat day þay dalt, þat many on wyde opyn walt, þat wikkidly wondede was.
c. fig. To fall, into (anger, madness).
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1956. Nestor anone noyet þere with, And walt at his wordes into wode yre. Ibid., 8685. Sum walt into wodenes, & of wit past.
4. To gush out, pour, flow.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 364. Waltes out vch walle-heued, in full wode stremez. Ibid., 1037. Þer waltez of þat water in waxlokes grete, Þe spumande aspaltoun þat spyserez sellen.
