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lock¹ Definition

lock (läk)

noun

  1. a mechanical device furnished with a bolt and, usually, a spring, for fastening a door, strongbox, etc. by means of a key or combination
  2. anything that fastens something else and prevents it from opening, turning, etc.
  3. a locking together; jam
  4. an enclosed part of a canal, waterway, etc. equipped with gates so that the level of the water can be changed to raise or lower boats from one level to another
  5. the mechanism of a firearm used to explode the ammunition charge; gunlock
  6. air lock (sense )
  7. Slang a certainty; sure thing our team is a lock to win the title
  8. Wrestling a hold in which a part of the opponent's body is firmly gripped armlock

Etymology: ME < OE loc, a bolt, bar, enclosure, prison, akin to Ger loch, a hole, ON lok, a lid, prob. < IE base *leug-, to bend > Gr lygos, supple twig, L luctȧri, to struggle

transitive verb

  1. to fasten (a door, trunk, etc.) by means of a lock
  2. to keep from going in or out; shut (up, in or out); confine locked in jail
  3. to fit closely; link; intertwine to lock arms
  4. to embrace tightly
  5. to jam or force together so as to make immovable locked gears, locked brakes
  6. to put in a fixed position a throttle locked in the idle position
  7. ☆ to equip (a canal, etc.) with a lock or locks
  8. to move or pass (a ship) through a lock
  9. Printing to fasten (type elements) in a chase or on the bed of a press by means of quoins: often with up

intransitive verb

  1. to become locked
  2. to be capable of being locked
  3. to intertwine or interlock; link together
  4. to close tightly and firmly his jaws locked
  5. to jam, as gears
  6. to pass through the locks of a canal

lock¹ Idioms

have a lock on

Slang to be sure of winning, gaining, or controlling the other party has a lock on that Senate seat

lock away

to store or safeguard in a locked box, container, etc.

lock on

Aeron. to track and automatically follow a target, as by radar

lock out

  1. to shut out by or as by locking the door against
  2. to keep (workers) from a place of employment in seeking to force terms upon them

lock, stock, and barrel

Etymology: with reference to the main parts of a gun

Informal completely; entirely

lock up

  1. to fasten the doors of (a house, etc.) by means of locks
  2. to enclose or store in a locked container
  3. to put in jail
  4. to make certain to have the result one wants to have an election locked up

under lock and key

locked up; safely put away

lock² Definition

lock (läk)

noun

  1. a curl, tress, or ringlet of hair
  2. Old Poet. the hair of the head
  3. a tuft of wool, cotton, etc.

Etymology: ME lokke < OE loc (akin to Ger locke): basic sense “a bend, twist”: IE base as in lock

lock Synonyms

lock

n.

  1. A device for locking

    hook, catch, latch, bolt, bar, staple, hasp, clinch, bond, fastening, padlock, safety catch, clamp, holdfast, clasp, link, junction, connection, barrier, canal gate, device, fixture, grip, grapple; see also fastener.

    Types of locks include: deadbolt, double-cylinder, single-cylinder, tumbler, pin-tumbler cylinder, sash ward, fine ward, solid ward, lever, safety lever, keyless, combination, cabinet, duplex key, action, rim, mortise, padlock, timelock.

  2. A tuft or ringlet of hair

    tuft, tress, ringlet, bunch, twist, portion of hair, snip, braid, plait; see also curl, hair 1.

under lock and key

locked up, imprisoned, in jail; see confined 3.

lock Synonyms

lock

v.

bolt, bar, clasp, secure; see fasten 1.

lock Usage Examples

Object

  • door: Fire officers had to force a locked door to rescue Danielle, who left the house without her son.
  • horn: But Danny in charge means the con gets messy, so he keeps locking horns with Mickey.
  • gate: A locked gate at the front leads to a passage by the side of the house where there are two rainwater butts.
  • cvars: ETPro, at time of writing anyway, does not further restrict any locked cvars, with the exception of those relating to tracers.
  • nut: Locking wheel nuts require a dedicated adaptor to remove them.
  • mechanism: But most innovative of all is the unique locking mechanism which prevents tool blades from folding during use.

Converse of object

  • steer: Steering lock on the left side of the headstock.
  • pick: That way, no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they're always locking three of them. !

Adjective modifier

  • key-operated: Standard features include green felt shingles to the roof and a quality key-operated door lock.
  • bottom: Emerging out of the railroad tunnel we approach the bottom lock of the six Ashted locks that will take us up to Aston Junction.

Modifies a noun

  • keeper: We had crossed the Severn and Gloucester Canal several times and watched the lock keeper open the lock gates manually for a pleasure yacht.
  • gate: The vertical post farthest from the hanging point of a lock gate.
  • chamber: The south side of the lock chamber is more or less intact.
  • cottage: The design of lock cottages often gives canals a particular identity.

Noun used with modifier

  • mortice: Side doors in detached garages should be fitted with a quality mortice lock to BS 3621 standard.
  • mutex: Public Member Functions void acquire ( ) const; Attempts to acquire the internal mutex lock.
  • staircase: Double Lock A two-rise staircase lock or normal locks placed side by side to increase traffic capacity.
  • rim: Thinner doors will be weakened by fitting mortice locks, so robust deadlocking rim locks should be used.
  • door: Once in place the Home security sliding doors lock prevents an intruder forcing the doors open no matter how determined.

Preposition: in

cupboard: No, they're locked in the cupboard to starve for a day, perhaps two.

Browse dictionary entries near lock

  1. ‹ loci
  2. ‹ Lochinvar
  3. ‹ lochia
  4. ‹ loch
  5. ‹ locative
  6. ‹ location-based services
  7. ‹ location
  8. ‹ locating
  9. ‹ located
  10. ‹ locate
  1. lock-limit ›
  2. lock step ›
  3. lock-step option ›
  4. lock stitch ›
  5. lock up ›
  6. lockage ›
  7. lockbox ›
  8. lockdown ›
  9. Locke ›
  10. locked ›