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vault1

[vawlt]
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noun
  1. an arched structure, usually made of stones, concrete, or bricks, forming a ceiling or roof over a hall, room, sewer, or other wholly or partially enclosed construction.
  2. an arched structure resembling a vault.
  3. a space, chamber, or passage enclosed by a vault or vaultlike structure, especially one located underground.
  4. an underground chamber, as a cellar or a division of a cellar.
  5. a room or compartment, often built of or lined with steel, reserved for the storage and safekeeping of valuables, especially such a place in a bank.
  6. a strong metal cabinet, usually fireproof and burglarproof, for the storage and safekeeping of valuables, important papers, etc.
  7. a burial chamber.
  8. Anatomy. an arched roof of a cavity.
  9. something likened to an arched roof: the vault of heaven.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to construct or cover with a vault.
  2. to make in the form of a vault; arch.
  3. to extend or stretch over in the manner of an arch; overarch: An arbor vaulted the path.
  4. to store in a vault: The paintings will be vaulted when the museum is closed.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to curve or bend in the form of a vault.
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Origin of vault1

1300–50; (noun) alteration of Middle English voute < Old French vou(l)te, volte < Vulgar Latin *volvita, for Latin volūta, noun use of feminine past participle of Latin volvere to turn (see revolve); (v.) alteration of Middle English vouten < Old French vou(l)ter, volter, derivative of vou(l)te, volte
Related formsvault·like, adjective

vault2

[vawlt]
verb (used without object)
  1. to leap or spring, as to or from a position or over something: He vaulted over the tennis net.
  2. to leap with the hands supported by something, as by a horizontal pole.
  3. Gymnastics. to leap over a vaulting horse or pommel horse, using the hands for pushing off.
  4. to arrive at or achieve something as if by a spring or leap: to vault into prominence.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to leap over: to vault a fence.
  2. to cause to leap over or surpass others: Advertising has vaulted the new perfume into first place.
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noun
  1. the act of vaulting.
  2. a leap of a horse; curvet.
  3. Gymnastics. a running jump over a vaulting horse or pommel horse, usually finishing with an acrobatic dismount.
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Origin of vault2

1530–40; < French volte a turn and volter to turn, respectively < Italian volta (noun) and voltare (v.); see volt2
Related formsvault·er, noun

Synonyms

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1. See jump.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

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British Dictionary definitions for vault

vault1

noun
  1. an arched structure that forms a roof or ceiling
  2. a room, esp a cellar, having an arched roof down to floor level
  3. a burial chamber, esp when underground
  4. a strongroom for the safe-deposit and storage of valuables
  5. an underground room or part of such a room, used for the storage of wine, food, etc
  6. anatomy any arched or domed bodily cavity or spacethe cranial vault
  7. something suggestive of an arched structure, as the sky
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verb
  1. (tr) to furnish with or as if with an arched roof
  2. (tr) to construct in the shape of a vault
  3. (intr) to curve, arch, or bend in the shape of a vault
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Derived Formsvaultlike, adjective

Word Origin

C14: vaute, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin volvita (unattested) a turn, probably from Latin volvere to roll

vault2

verb
  1. to spring over (an object), esp with the aid of a long pole or with the hands resting on the object
  2. (intr) to do, achieve, or attain something as if by a leaphe vaulted to fame on the strength of his discovery
  3. dressage to perform or cause to perform a curvet
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noun
  1. the act of vaulting
  2. dressage a low leap; curvet
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Derived Formsvaulter, noun

Word Origin

C16: from Old French voulter to turn, from Italian voltare to turn, from Vulgar Latin volvitāre (unattested) to turn, leap; see vault 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for vault

n.1

"arched roof or ceiling," c.1300, vaute, from Old French voute "arch, vaulted roof," from Vulgar Latin *volta, contraction of *volvita, noun use of fem. of *volvitus, alteration of Latin volutus "bowed, arched," past participle of volvere "to turn, turn around, roll" (see volvox). The -l- appeared in English c.1400.

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v.

"jump or leap over," 1530s (implied in vaulting), from Middle French volter "to gambol, leap," from Italian voltare "to turn," from Vulgar Latin *volvitare "to turn, leap," frequentative of Latin volvere "to turn, turn around, roll" (see volvox). Related: Vaulted; vaulting.

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n.2

"a leap," 1763, from vault (v.).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper