A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Volt, Vout(e, n. Also: volte, wolt(e, volut, wolut, wot, voult, woult(e, wowlt, voutt, wout(t, (wountt), vowt(e, wowte, wowt(t, woy(l)t, woylte, vu(l)t, walte, vault(e, wault, vawt, vylte. [ME and e.m.E. vavt(e (14th c.), vout (1396-7), vowte (c1400), woult (c1490), vault (1545), OF volte, voute, f. L. volvere to turn.]
1. a. Vaulting; an arched or vaulted element in the construction of a building; an arch. See also Pend n.1 1 a for further examples. b. (Up)on volt(is (ad modum voute), built on a series of vaults, arched structures used to give strength to the building. Cf. 2 a below. c. Appar. an arched or vaulted display stand.There is considerable overlap between senses 1 a, b and 2.a. 1387 Edinb. Chart. 35.
Sal mak and voute v chapellis on the south syde of the paryce kyrc … voutyt on the maner and the masounry as the voute abovyn Sant Stevinys auter … and the fyfte chapel woutyt with a durre. … Alsua the forsayde v chapellys sal be thekyt … with stane and water thycht the buteras fynyt wp als hech as the laue of that werk askys. Alswa betwene the chapellis guteryt … to cast the watir owte 1491 Treas. Acc. I 181.
To the massonis of the palis … for the pendin of three voutis 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Fornix, a pend or vout 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 122.
Foure riging stanis … to the wouttis in the kirk 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 125.
Greit tarit tow … for ganging our the ryging of the wowtt(b) 1513 Doug. i viii 21.
Sche to the tempill dur is cum Syne entryng vnder the myd volt tuke hir sete 1526 Crim. Trials I i 135.
Hammiltoun … passing furth of the clois com wnder the long volt of the entres 1537 Reg. Privy S. II 352/2.
Abone the volt and foir entre of the said Abbay 1548 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS XXIV 170.
Ane gret nomer of stanis of quhilkis pendit ane gret wolt within the said abbay [sc. Kilwinning] 1557 Chron. Fortirgall 127.
The castell … was begun til la stanis in it and the woltis was mayd or Lammes 1561– 2 Edinb. Old Acc. II 159.
For iij greit geistis to be ane pairte of the new brandreth for uphaldin of the rufe of the volt abone S. Gabriellis Ile 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 247.
The wallis in sindrie partis ar revin, and the volt thairthrow partit, neir hand the ane side form the uther 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 247.
To uphald … the wallis of the said parroche kirk … and kippill werk abone the volt 1575–6 Reg. Privy C. II 486.
Personis … with pikkis, mattokkis [etc.] … come … to … George Corryis place of Thomastoun, and thair under mynit the wall within the volt of the yett a1578 Pitsc. (1814) xii.
Which bridge hath … twentie arches … compact and joyned to idder with woltis and sellaris a1585 Maitl. Q. 218/63.
Thy tour & fortres lairge & lang … thy wallis thik & strang … Thy voltis plesand ar to sie Thay ar so greit & fair 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Camera, a vowte ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 85 (see 6 below). 1611 Macgibbon & Ross V 5.
The mayne hous being maid thrie futtis and ane half … betwix cuningȝe and cuningȝe langer nor the gavils thairof … conteining twa woltis laiche; and the jame aff the north west side of the maynehous to be ane wolt fra the sydewall of the maynehous to the kithching braiss being saxtein futtis within the walls of breid and saxtein futtis of lenth … with the odyer pend and kithcing brais in the gabill of the jame of sufficient forme and quantitie as becumes(c) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. i 505.
Media testudine templi, in the middis of the kirk, under the woult 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 119.
Woulte 1610 Crim. Trials III 91.
Ȝour servand … brak the voult and pend of the said prisone and schure af the irnes quhairin the said Johnne Greir was loked 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 339.
The said Thomas sall big thrie schelles of voult … and sall inclose tua of the saidis voultis with wallis … on ilk syid of the tolbuyth doir with ane doir … in ilk ane of the saidis twa voultis … with ane lang transe voult betuixt the thrie voultis 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 339.
To mack ane … doir in the mid wall, betuixt the northmest voult and the southermest voult with ane passage to ascend … fra the heid of the first voult to the secund voult and aboue … to … big ane gavill wall to ressaue the third voultis and to found ane passage with ane turne vpoun the crann of the trans voult that gangis to the tolbuith to ascend quhill it enter in the fyift voult 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 339, 340.
The said Thomas shall big the haill four vtter wallis vpoun the croun of the secund voult hicht … and the third voult to be bot ane schell athort the haill hous for the jaylouris duelling … and aboue the third voult … Thomas sall big the fourt voult of tua schellis 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 340.
To … leave ane four nuikit hoill in the croun of the said voult(d) 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V 17.
Ordanis the dene of gild caus dres and wesche the kirk wallis and vuts [gap] and to repair the ruiff(e) 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Fornix, a vawtb. (1) 1382 Exch. R. III 89.
Pro una nova domo, videlicet, coquina et aliis domibus necessariis juxta magnam turrim in castro constructis ad modum voute factis(2) a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 40.
This ladie … foundit twa prebendaries, and biggit thair chalmaris vpon voltis [1830 vaultis] 1574 Reg. Privy S. VI 501/2.
The kingis hous and tolbuith of the said burgh, quhilk was ane gret and large hous rasit upoun voltis 1593 Mining Rec. 98.
The bigging of aine hous of staine and lyme vpon voute c1650 Spalding II 357.
The place of Kelly, whairon thair wes no roof bot the wallis stronglie built standing on volt c1650 Spalding I 17.
The old tower (going af of the hall) and standing vpone voltc. 1599 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 316.
For thre laid of lyme to big the heid of the wolt to set the kingis knok stuill upon
In transf. and fig. senses. d. A covering resembling a vaulted roof, a testudo. e. ? The vault or dome of the skull. f. The eyebrows. g. The apparent convex surface of the sky. h. fig.d. 1513 Doug. ix viii 114.
So sairly knyt that maner embuschment [Sm. embuchement] Semyt to be a clos volt quhar thai went 1513 Doug. ix viii 132.
Thar fays al maner of teyn Vndir that volt of targis myght systeyne. 1524 St. P. Henry VIII IV 157.
Persaving [his] gracis maist noble jocund walte, best formit personage, prudent degest, manlye and ferme contenancef. c1590 Fowler I 191/9.
Your browe, your hair, your compast vaults maist fate, Tua starns, a mouthe [etc.]g. 1587-99 Hume 22/168.
All things beneth the voult of heuin c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxiv 3.
The loftie wolt of wandring planettis sewin 1609 Garden Garden 32.
These ornaments … That through the voults of cristall skyes Full gleglie glansing gangh. 1626 Garden Worthies 148.
Most mestfull citie moan and murne with me, And from the lawest vaile and vults of voe
2. The space enclosed by a vault. a. As part of the construction of a substantial building; freq. pl., the vaulted chamber(s) forming the basement level of a castle, etc. b. A similar apartment in a church, ? the crypt of a church. c. The (vaulted) basement or cellar of a house or shop; a vaulted building adjacent to a shop; a warehouse or storehouse constructed in this fashion.Also in place-names.1570 Bann. Memor. 66.
To ane hous callit the Blake Voute of Dunure [Bann. Trans. 60, his castle and place of Dunvre] 1633 Milne-Home MSS 93.
The lands of Quhitsum called the Voult of Quhitsuma. 1519 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 298.
Ane hovs contenand ane hall and chalmer abovne and ane wolt beneitht the said hovs 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 41.
Ane craw to the archar windo in the gret chalmer nixt the woltis in the tour 1545–6 Treas. Acc. VIII 448.
For candill to the masonis quhen thay wroucht in the voltis 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II 105 (3 Nov.).
The nether wolt of the new tolbouth wes carbillit in sewine partis 1558 Treas. Acc. X 435.
For dichting of twa woltis withtin the castell of Edinburgh and for soling of ane of thame 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 593.
Personis … detenaris of the hous and peill of Westhoussis to rander the samyn, with the volt and barmkin thairof 1569 (1580) Reg. Great S. 8/1.
Magnam domum cum tribus sellariis lie woultis 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 64.
To tak doun the south wal of the kirk to the grund … and sall up put sax sufficient voltis opinand on the suith syd wall c1615 Chron. Kings 171.
The counsell … considering the wordis of the letter send … Lord Somerland to searche about the parliament hous … To seik wnder the hous in the wowttis 1626 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 186.
For redding ane of the voltis underneth the foir wall [sc. of Edinburgh Castle] 1626 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 197.
Lyme … for bigging the slap and gavell of the volt(b) c1600 Pont Cunningham 10.
In this castell ther is a tour, named the read tour, and in it a vaulte called Vallace lardner 1688 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XXVII 152.
The vault below the Lady Arroll's ludgen, through which they enter to the outer clos of the abayb. 1539 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 207.
To resave the keis in thair keiping of the stepill and the volt in the end of the kirk 1558–9 Aberd. B. Rec. I 320.
The … siluer wark … of Sanct Nicolas kirk … ane chalice of Our Lady of Pity in the wowlt … Our Lady chalice of the sowth yill [etc.] 1568 Crail B. Ct. 19 Oct.
Ane vout vnder the chapill of Waist Haillc. 1439 Soc. Ant. Chart. No. 5.
The landis and grounde of Sant Leonardis … begynnand at the est ende off the gret wolutis of Villiam Logane 1439 Edinb. Chart. 64.
Volut 1507–8 Reg. Privy S. I 238/2.
To big ane volt under the commone strete of the said burgh befor his tenement … the said voult havand the lenth of the foir front of the said tenement … of breid to the commone gutter 1509 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 124.
To tak of euery buith volt sellar and chalmer of ilk foreland plenist and inhabite of the hie streett … ane penny 1555–6 Edinb. Guild Ct. 7 Jan. (see Pers v. 3 a). 1561 Grey Friars II 89.
Ane fore boytht and ane innar wolt 1572 Inverness Rec. I 215.
Through want of my ease drope my wowte and sellar is consumit and dalie consumes wyth watter 1587 Prot. Bk. J. Muschet 17b.
Ane waist bak tenement of land contenand tua pendit wotis 1662 Lanark B. Rec. 188.
It sall be leissum to any burges to set thair houssis or voltis 1683 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 69, 70.
Craving libertie to build ane volt opposit to ther chops in the new land laitlie built at the entrie to the parliament close … and [to] com forward with the said volt six ells beneith the arches or pillars befor ther chops upon the high street. The Councell grants warrand to them to build the said volt … provyding they … obleidge themselves that they shall make the top of the volt when finished equallie levill with the rest of the casay
3. The spaces described in 2 above where the room or building has some particular function indicated contextually. a. As a shop, larder, etc. b. As a storeroom, storehouse or storage space. c. As living accommodation, esp. for the secure incarceration of prisoners.There is some overlap between senses a and b.a. 1452 Ayr B. Ct. p. 114.
The rent of all the buthis of the tolbuth … exceppand the lityl wolt 1546 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 4.
Ane chairtour of fewferme … off ane lache wolt with the bak chopis under the new tolbuith c1563 Reg. Panmure I cxlv.
Ane wolt callit the lardner 1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX 206b.
Ane bowand liddit ark standand in the girnell wolt 1608 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 521.
Twa seller vouttis with ane kitchein and ane almery 1651 Burnett Fam. P.
To the four waults under the school of Banchorie To each wault or house or chamber of the saids [hospital] nyne bollis victuall [etc.] 1654 Stirling B. Rec. I 214.
To build ane weyhouse of the tua eistmost laiche voltis under the tolbuithe 1657 S. Leith Rec. 108/2.
There laich vout which is the gramer schooll 1666 Edinb. B. Rec. X 9.
That no inhabitant … baik any bread in any high or loftit housses upon the hearth but in laiche cellars or voltis upon the groundb. 1554–5 Treas. Acc. X 268.
To ressave voultis fra the monkis to put in lyme 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 303.
Putting of all the altalȝerie in the inner volt 1558 Treas. Acc. X 432.
For carying of the foirsaid furnesing and provisioun of Edinburght to Leith to ane wolt, and … fra the wolt to the bote 1560 Treas. Acc. XI 34.
For grathing … of twa woltis to put the said provisioun 1568 Perth Guildry 342 (11 Oct.).
The commoun wolt vnder the tolbuith be red of all on fremennis gudis 1571–2 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 64.
Berin of ten ruffe spar and garroun fra the volt of the tolbuith to the kirk myln 1580 Reg. Privy C. III 331.
Vowtis 1584 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 387.
For to tyr of the sklettis of the weddin kirk dur and to carie them to the woult 1585 Elphinstone Mun. 22.
In the letill wolt under the greit hall ane greit nummer of bullattis 1586 Perth B. Ct. 15 June.
Part of the foirsaidis gudis arreistit lyis in the spey tower volt 1611 Fam. Rose 305.
My chartor keist was put in the tour wolt of Kilrawok 1612–13 Misc. Spald. C. V 92.
For transporting of the stokkis out of the nether wolt to the tolbuithe 1636 Thanes of Cawdor 281.
In the chalmer of towir ane … bed [etc.] … , in the vardrope ane presse [etc.] … , In the meikill volt ane fir bed 1672 Edinb. B. Rec. X 120.
Volts for containing considerable quantities … of water to be allwayes in reddines(b) 1621 Barcaldine Inv.
Item the wountt of the jame ane dowbill dour with lok key and bandis. Item thairin ane mikill kirnell of fir and ane baiking stuill and [etc.]c. 1561 Peebles B. Rec. I 272.
To rander the keyis of the west wolt … for the ressait of pure folkis, decrepit bedellis to be harbryit thairintill 1592–3 Misc. Spald. C. V 116.
To bye meit and drink to Mr. William Murdoe, the nicht he wes in the kirk wolte 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 99.
The nycht … Jonet Wischert … was takin furth of the vowt to hir judgement seitt, the Dewill com to the window of the vowt [etc.] a1600 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 157.
The tenement of Arthurlie, the laich vowte occupeit be Osee Moreson 1607 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 57.
To be incarcerat in the kirk wault 1663 Inverness Rec. II 214.
The clerkis chalmer and the wault under the samen quhilk is the present prisone hous … they peying for the chalmer ȝeirlie … tuentie four pundis Scotis … and for the wault tuenty pundis 1677 Inverness Rec. II 273.
The key of his wault quhilk they mack wse of as ther prissone for malefactors(b) 1650 Dumfries Treas. Acc.
For mending Adam Sturgins woyt for the wichis
4. The vaulted space a. Of a tomb. b. Of an area prepared as a hiding-place.a. 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 646/1.
Quhilk tvmb sall haue ane volt in vnder the eird till put his corps intill 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. x.
Some … made vp little caues or voltes, for buriall vse 1685 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 148.
What monuments or tombs shall heirafter be erected … shall be volted which volts they declaire to be the buriall place apperteining to the said tombsb. 1684 Law Memor. 216.
A vault which he diged under ground and penned for his hiding
5. An upper attic or room, the space under a roof.1528 Lynd. Dreme 358.
In the thrid presoun … We enterit [etc.] … Upwart we went … In tyll ane volt, abone that place of paine 1562 Edinb. B. Rec. III 132.
That … the saidis wobsteris set vp their lvmes in ane wolt preparit for thame in the rufe of Sanct Gelis Kirk. 1563 Edinb. B. Rec. III 174.
Wemen … to be impresonit in the woltis abone the kirk beside the stepill
6. A vaulted cave, cavern or similar natural rock formation.c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2434.
In-to that forrest … Standand woltis & cavis seire, With thornes all our-growin 1460 Hay Alex. 148.
All the folk in voltis and cavernis ȝeid 1460 Hay Alex. 611.
He was closit in ane gret volt of ane cave ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 85.
On the eist side of this ile thair is ane bow made like ane volt [B. woylt, M. vylte] mair nor ane arrow shot of any man, in manner of ane volt under earth, throw the quhilk volt [B. woylte, M. vylte] we useit to row or sail with aire boats
7. a. attrib. With dure, windok, redding. Volt heicht, the height of a vaulted element in the construction of a building. b. comb. With fisch-hous, sellar, chamber, a fish-house, etc. which consists of a vaulted space.a. (1) 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 345.
Ane greit loke to the wolt dure of Sanct Thomas ile 1601 Crim. Trials VI 341.
Ye prysit vp ane stainchell of ane laich volt windok, and enterit thairby 1611–12 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 338.
For beging up of the bak wout dor 1629 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 253.
Tua stappis to the volt dores under the auld hall 1639 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 393.
Ane … lock for the laich hous below the kings galry quhilk is mad the wardrope … Item mair for ane uther upon ane vout door ther(2) 1615 Aberd. B. Rec. II 321.
Ane wardhous … four woult heicht fra the ground 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 338.
The said Thomas sall begin at the ground and sall big ane massie wall … quhill it be voult hight 1616 Aberd. Council Lett. I 141.
Woutt a1691 Kingston Contin. Ho. Seytoun 61.
He made ane great building att the Barnes voult height before his death intending that building round a court(3) 1626 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 196.
For candill to the volt reddingb. 1594 (1601) Reg. Great S. 414/2.
Et domo piscaria lie volt fische hous pro piscium confectione et conservatione 1639 T. Hope Diary 94.
The laich volt sellar 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 358.
In the voult chamber … A suit of gilded leather hingings
