Vault | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Vault, n.

noun

n. [O. Fr. vaulte, vaute, voulte, voute, volte, N. Fr. voûte, Pr. volta, vouta, vota, Sp. vuelta, O. Sp., Pg., & It. volta, L. Lat. volta, voluta, volutio, from Lat. volvere, volutum, to roll, to turn about.]

A continued arch, or an arched roof or ceiling; a covering and enveloping arch. “That heaven’s vault should crack.” Shak.
An arched apartment; especially, a subterranean room, used for storing articles, for a prison, for interment, and the like; a cell; a cellar. “The silent vaults of death.” Sandys. “To banish rats that haunt our vault.” Swift. “Charnel vaults.” Milton.
A leap or bound; especially (Man.), the bound or leap of a horse.

☞ The l in this word was formerly often suppressed in pronunciation.

A brick-vaulted chamber with a tiled floor and a small arched doorway in the left wall.

Vault, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. VAULTED; p. pr. & vb. n. VAULTING.] [O. Fr. voulter, voûter, N. Fr. voûter, It. voltare. See supra.]

To form with a vault, or to cover with a vault; to give the shape of an arch (or to arch); as, to vault a passage to a court. “The shady arch that vaulted the broad green alley.” W. Scott.
To leap on; to mount by leaping. Shak.

I will vault credit, and affect high pleasures. Webster, 1632.

Vault, v. i.

verbintransitive

[O. Fr. volter, N. Fr. voltiger, Sp. & Pg. voltear, It. voltare, Lat. volutare, v. intens. from volvere, volutum, to roll, turn about. See supra.) 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.

A detailed drawing of a feather, showing its shaft and branching barbs.