Category:Vault

Vault, n. Etym: [oe. voute, of. voute, volte, f. voûte, ll. volta, For voluta, volutio, fr. L. volvere, volutum, to roll, to turn about. See voluble, and cf. Vault a leap, volt a turn, volute.]

1. (arch.)

Defn: an arched structure of masonry, forming a ceiling or canopy. The long-drawn aisle and fretted vault. Gray.

2. An arched apartment; especially, a subterranean room, use for Storing articles, for a prison, for interment, or the like; a cell; a Cellar. "charnel vaults." Milton. The silent vaults of death. Sandys. To banish rats that haunt our vault. Swift.

3. The canopy of heaven; the sky. That heaven's vault should crack. Shak.

4. Etym: [f. volte, it. volta, originally, a turn, and the same word As volta an arch. See the etymology above.]

Defn: a leap or bound. Specifically: -- (a) (man.) The bound or leap of a horse; a curvet. (b) a leap by aid of the hands, or of a pole, springboard, or the Like.

Note: the l in this word was formerly often suppressed in Pronunciation. Barrel, cradle, cylindrical, or wagon, vault (arch.), A kind of vault having two parallel abutments, and the same section Or profile at all points. It may be rampant, as over a staircase (see Rampant vault, under rampant), or curved in plan, as around the apse Of a church. -- coved vault. (arch.) See under 1st cove, v. t. -- groined vault (arch.), a vault having groins, that is, one in Which different cylindrical surfaces intersect one another, as Distinguished from a barrel, or wagon, vault. -- rampant vault. (arch.) See under rampant. -- ribbed vault (arch.), a vault differing from others in having Solid ribs which bear the weight of the vaulted surface. True gothic Vaults are of this character. -- vault light, a partly glazed plate inserted in a pavement or Ceiling to admit light to a vault below.

Vault Vault, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vaulted; p. pr. & vb. n. Vaulting.] Etym: [oe. vouten, of. volter, vouter, f. voûter. See vault an arch.]

1. To form with a vault, or to cover with a vault; to give the shape Of an arch to; to arch; as, vault a roof; to vault a passage to a Court. The shady arch that vaulted the broad green alley. Sir w. Scott.

2. Etym: [see vault, v. i.]

Defn: to leap over; esp., to leap over by aid of the hands or a pole; As, to vault a fence. I will vault credit, and affect high pleasures. Webster (1623).

Vault Vault, v. i. Etym: [cf. Of. volter, f. voltiger, it. volt turn. See Vault, n., 4.]

1. To leap; to bound; to jump; to spring. Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself. Shak. Leaning on his lance, he vaulted on a tree. Dryden. Lucan vaulted upon pegasus with all the heat and intrepidity of Youth. Addison.

2. To exhibit feats of tumbling or leaping; to tumble.