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.
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 (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vaulted; p. pr. & vb. n. Vaulting.] [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. [See Vault, v. i.] To leap over; esp., to leap over by aid of the
hands or a pole; as, to vault a fence.