n. [ OE. pelfir booty, OF. pelfre, akin to pelfrer to plunder, and perh. to E. pillage. Cf. Pilfer. ] Money; riches; lucre; gain; -- generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten or worthless. It has no plural. “Mucky pelf.” Spenser. “Paltry pelf.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]
Can their pelf prosper, not got by valor or industry? Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Of or pertaining to pelf. Stanyhurst. [ 1913 Webster ]