Definition

1. Noun:

   • An act of jumping over an obstacle, especially using the hands or a pole for support: A movement where a person springs over something.
   • An arched structure forming a ceiling or roof: A continuous curved ceiling made of brick or stone.
   • A secure room for storing valuables: A strongly built chamber, often in a bank, designed to protect money and other items.
   • A burial chamber: An underground room, often beneath a church, used as a tomb.

2. Verb:

   • To jump over something energetically, often using the hands for support: To leap or spring over an obstacle.
   • To construct or cover with an arched structure: To build in the shape of a vault.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The gymnast performed a perfect vault over the horse.
  • The cathedral's stone vault is an architectural masterpiece.
  • The bank robbers tried to break into the main vault.
  • The ancient vault contained the remains of the royal family.

• Verb:

  • The athlete vaulted the fence with ease.
  • The passageway was vaulted with elegant arches.

Advanced Usage

• "Pole vault": A track and field event where an athlete uses a long, flexible pole to jump over a high bar.
  • She set a new world record in the pole vault.
• "To vault into fame/prominence": To suddenly become very famous or important.
  • The novel vaulted the young author into literary fame.

Variants and Related Words

• Vaulter (n): A person who vaults, especially an athlete in pole vaulting or gymnastics.
  • The vaulter cleared a height of six meters.
• Vaulted (adj): Built in the shape of an arch or vault.
  • The vaulted ceiling made the hall feel spacious.
• Vaulting (n): The structure forming a vault; the act of jumping over something.
  • The Gothic vaulting is incredibly complex.

Synonyms

• Noun (Jump): Leap, spring.
• Noun (Arch): Dome, arch.
• Noun (Storage): Strongroom, safe.
• Verb (Jump): Leap over, jump, clear.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Vault" is not commonly used with particles to form phrasal verbs. The action is typically expressed as "vault over" or "vault into.") - Vault over: To jump over something. - He vaulted over the wall to escape. - Vault into: To jump energetically into a space or position. - She vaulted into the driver's seat and started the engine.

Related Idioms

• Vault of heaven: A poetic term for the sky, imagined as a dome.
  • Stars twinkled in the vault of heaven.

Noun

1. the act of jumping over an obstacle
2. an arched brick or stone ceiling or roof
3. a strongroom or compartment (often made of steel) for safekeeping of valuables
4. a burial chamber (usually underground)

Verb

1. bound vigorously
2. jump across or leap over (an obstacle)