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(vlt; see Note, below), n.[OE. voute, OF. voute, volte, F. vote, 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.) 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. [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. The l in this word was formerly often suppressed in pronunciation. Vault (), v. t.[imp. & p. p.Vaulted; p. pr. & vb. n.Vaulting.] [OE. vouten, OF. volter, vouter, F. voter. 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. [See Vault, v. i.] 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 v. i.[Cf. OF. volter, F. voltiger, It. voltre 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. スポンサード リンク
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