n. [ 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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Arch.) An arched structure of masonry, forming a ceiling or canopy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The long-drawn aisle and fretted vault. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An arched apartment; especially, a subterranean room, used for storing articles, for a prison, for interment, or the like; a cell; a cellar. “Charnel vaults.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The silent vaults of death. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

To banish rats that haunt our vault. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The canopy of heaven; the sky. [ 1913 Webster ]

That heaven's vault should crack. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. [ F. volte, It. volta, originally, a turn, and the same word as volta an arch. See the Etymology above. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The l in this word was formerly often suppressed in pronunciation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Barrel vault,
Cradle vault,
Cylindrical vault, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vaulted; p. pr. & vb. n. Vaulting. ] [ OE. vouten, OF. volter, vouter, F. voûter. See Vault an arch. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To form with a vault, or to cover with a vault; to give the shape of an arch to; to arch; as, to vault a roof; to vault a passage to a court. [ 1913 Webster ]

The shady arch that vaulted the broad green alley. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ See Vault, v. i. ] To leap over; esp., to leap over by aid of the hands or a pole; as, to vault a fence. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will vault credit, and affect high pleasures. Webster (1623). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Cf. OF. volter, F. voltiger, It. voltare to turn. See Vault, n., 4. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To leap; to bound; to jump; to spring. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Leaning on his lance, he vaulted on a tree. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lucan vaulted upon Pegasus with all the heat and intrepidity of youth. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exhibit feats of tumbling or leaping; to tumble. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Vaulted work; also, a vaulted place; an arched cellar. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Arched; concave; as, a vaulted roof. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Covered with an arch, or vault. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Bot.) Arched like the roof of the mouth, as the upper lip of many ringent flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who vaults; a leaper; a tumbler. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of constructing vaults; a vaulted construction. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Act of one who vaults or leaps. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Arched; concave. [ Obs. ] “The vaulty heaven.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]