vault
1 Americannoun
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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.
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an arched structure resembling a vault.
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a space, chamber, or passage enclosed by a vault or vaultlike structure, especially one located underground.
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an underground chamber, as a cellar or a division of a cellar.
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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.
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a strong metal cabinet, usually fireproof and burglarproof, for the storage and safekeeping of valuables, important papers, etc.
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a burial chamber.
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Anatomy. an arched roof of a cavity.
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something likened to an arched roof.
the vault of heaven.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb (used without object)
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to leap or spring, as to or from a position or over something.
He vaulted over the tennis net.
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to leap with the hands supported by something, as by a horizontal pole.
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Gymnastics. to leap over a vaulting horse or pommel horse, using the hands for pushing off.
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to arrive at or achieve something as if by a spring or leap.
to vault into prominence.
verb (used with object)
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to leap over.
to vault a fence.
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to cause to leap over or surpass others.
Advertising has vaulted the new perfume into first place.
noun
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the act of vaulting.
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a leap of a horse; curvet.
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Gymnastics. a running jump over a vaulting horse or a pommel horse, usually finishing with an acrobatic dismount.
noun
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an arched structure that forms a roof or ceiling
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a room, esp a cellar, having an arched roof down to floor level
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a burial chamber, esp when underground
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a strongroom for the safe-deposit and storage of valuables
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an underground room or part of such a room, used for the storage of wine, food, etc
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anatomy any arched or domed bodily cavity or space
the cranial vault
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something suggestive of an arched structure, as the sky
verb
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(tr) to furnish with or as if with an arched roof
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(tr) to construct in the shape of a vault
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(intr) to curve, arch, or bend in the shape of a vault
verb
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to spring over (an object), esp with the aid of a long pole or with the hands resting on the object
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(intr) to do, achieve, or attain something as if by a leap
he vaulted to fame on the strength of his discovery
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dressage to perform or cause to perform a curvet
noun
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the act of vaulting
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dressage a low leap; curvet
Related Words
See jump.
Other Word Forms
- vaulter noun
- vaultlike adjective
Etymology
Origin of vault1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English noun vaut(e), vout(e), volt(e), volute, from Old French volte, vote, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin volvita, for Latin volūta, noun use of feminine past participle of Latin volvere “to turn”; verb derivative of the noun
Origin of vault2
First recorded in 1530–40; verb from Middle French volter “to leap,” from Old Italian voltare, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin volvitāre “to turn, leap”; the noun is derivative of the verb
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But for Netflix, such a deal would have complicated the business model for a company that had already vaulted to a leading position in Hollywood on its strength as a streaming pure-play.
Her 9.950 on the vault in the final rotation sealed the win.
From Los Angeles Times
With every pike in midair, every perfect landing, every Yurchenko off the vault, the Reeses’ connection with each gymnast grows and their commitment to the team becomes deeper.
From Los Angeles Times
Ashlee Sullivan tied teammate Tiana Sumanasekera for the most Freshman of the Week awards after receiving her third honor after setting a career high on vault and tying her best score on the floor.
From Los Angeles Times
“Leading her to the family vault of the Kanes … he knocked on the iron door, and repeated lines from the poet Longfellow’s “Psalm of Life.”
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
