firewall

or fire wall

[ fahyuhr-wawl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a partition made of fireproof material to prevent the spread of a fire from one part of a building or ship to another or to isolate an engine compartment, as on a plane, automobile, etc.
a person, thing, or event that acts as a barrier or protection against something undesirable:
The new employee handbook should create a firewall against unethical business conduct.
Digital Technology. an integrated collection of security measures designed to prevent unauthorized electronic access to a networked computer system.

firewall

a fireproof wall or partition used to impede the progress of a fire, as from one room or compartment to another
computing a computer system that isolates another computer from the internet in order to prevent unauthorized access

firewall

/ fîr′wôl′ /

A software program or hardware device that restricts communication between a private network or computer system and outside networks.

firewall

A means of separating a computer network from outside networks for security purposes. A server outside an organization's own network may be used to funnel all incoming and outgoing traffic to assist in keeping out viruses , as well as to prevent unauthorized outsiders from gaining access to a network.

An Americanism dating back to 1750–60

He was referring to web censorship behind the Great Firewall.

“We were very careful to build a firewall between that work and our work with independent journalists,” Bourgault said.

Being one of the first people in the world to sell an internet firewall, he knows a thing or two about making a good investment.

They could help, designing a software tool that would allow the Chinese to sneak past the government firewall.

I think that the firewall between depression and psychosis is going to be erased.

The inside door, much weaker than the outer firewall door, had been blown off its hinges.

He went out again, closing the firewall door behind him and dogging it tight.

He opened up the conduit boxes that led through the antechamber from the control console to the reactor beyond the firewall.

Moving quickly, he went over to the place where the control cables came in through the firewall.

That meant that whatever it was that had fouled up the controls was on the other side of the firewall.

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