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lock

 - 10 dictionary results
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lock

1  [lok]
Use lock in a Sentence
–noun
1. a device for securing a door, gate, lid, drawer, or the like in position when closed, consisting of a bolt or system of bolts propelled and withdrawn by a mechanism operated by a key, dial, etc.
2. a contrivance for fastening or securing something.
3. (in a firearm)
a. the mechanism that explodes the charge; gunlock.
b. safety (def. 4).
4. any device or part for stopping temporarily the motion of a mechanism.
5. an enclosed chamber in a canal, dam, etc., with gates at each end, for raising or lowering vessels from one level to another by admitting or releasing water.
6. an air lock or decompression chamber.
7. complete and unchallenged control; an unbreakable hold: The congresswoman has a lock on the senatorial nomination.
8. Slang. someone or something certain of success; sure thing: He's a lock to win the championship.
9. Wrestling. any of various holds, esp. a hold secured on the arm, leg, or head: leg lock.
10. Horology. (in an escapement) the overlap between a tooth of an escape wheel and the surface of the pallet locking it.
11. Metalworking. a projection or recession in the mating face of a forging die.
–verb (used with object)
12. to fasten or secure (a door, window, building, etc.) by the operation of a lock or locks.
13. to shut in a place fastened by a lock or locks, as for security or restraint.
14. to make fast or immovable by or as if by a lock: He locked the steering wheel on his car.
15. to make fast or immovable, as by engaging parts: to lock the wheels of a wagon.
16. to join or unite firmly by interlinking or intertwining: to lock arms.
17. to hold fast in an embrace: She was locked in his arms.
18. to move (a ship) by means of a lock or locks, as in a canal (often fol. by through, in, out, down, or up).
19. to furnish with locks, as a canal.
–verb (used without object)
20. to become locked: This door locks with a key.
21. to become fastened, fixed, or interlocked: gears that lock into place.
22. to go or pass by means of a lock or locks, as a vessel.
23. to construct locks in waterways.
—Verb phrases
24. lock in,
a. to commit unalterably: to lock in the nomination of the party's candidates.
b. (of an investor) to be unable or unwilling to sell or shift securities.
25. lock off, to enclose (a waterway) with a lock.
26. lock on, to track or follow a target or object automatically by radar or other electronic means.
27. lock out,
a. to keep out by or as if by a lock.
b. to subject (employees) to a lockout.
28. lock up,
a. to imprison for a crime.
b. Printing. to make (type) immovable in a chase by securing the quoins.
c. to fasten or secure with a lock or locks.
d. to lock the doors of a house, automobile, etc.
e. to fasten or fix firmly, as by engaging parts.
—Idioms
29. lock horns, to come into conflict; clash: to lock horns with a political opponent.
30. lock, stock, and barrel, completely; entirely; including every part, item, or facet, no matter how small or insignificant: We bought the whole business, lock, stock, and barrel.
31. under lock and key, securely locked up: The documents were under lock and key.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE loc fastening, bar; c. MLG lok, OHG loh, ON lok a cover, lid, Goth -luk in usluk opening; akin to OE lūcan to shut

Related forms:
lockless, adjective
Los Angeles Locksmith
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www.locksmith4.com/los_angeles
LOC International
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lock

2  [lok]
–noun
1. a tress, curl, or ringlet of hair.
2. locks,
a. the hair of the head.
b. short wool of inferior quality, as that obtained in small clumps from the legs.
3. a small tuft or portion of wool, cotton, flax, etc.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME locke, OE locc lock of hair, c. ON lokkr, D lok curl, G Locke

safe⋅ty

  [seyf-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss.
2. the quality of averting or not causing injury, danger, or loss.
3. a contrivance or device to prevent injury or avert danger.
4. Also called lock, safety catch, safety lock. a locking or cutoff device that prevents a gun from being fired accidentally.
5. the action of keeping safe.
6. Football.
a. an act or play in which a player on the offensive team is tackled in his own end zone or downs the ball there, or in which the ball goes out of bounds on a fumble, having last been in bounds in or over the end zone and having last been in the possession of an offensive player. Compare touchback.
b. an award of two points to the opposing team on this play.
c. Also called safety man. a player on defense who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage.
7. Baseball. a base hit, esp. a one-base hit.
8. Slang. a condom.
9. Obsolete. close confinement or custody.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME sauvete < MF. See safe, -ty 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To lock
lock 1   (lŏk)   
n.  

  1. A device operated by a key, combination, or keycard and used, as on a door, for holding, closing, or securing.

  2. A section of a waterway, such as a canal, closed off with gates, in which vessels in transit are raised or lowered by raising or lowering the water level of that section.

  3. A mechanism in a firearm for exploding the charge.

  4. An interlocking or entanglement of elements or parts.

    1. Sports A hold in wrestling or self-defense that is secured on a part of an opponent's body.

    2. A secure hold; control: The distributor has a lock on most of the market.

    3. A sure thing; a certainty: His promotion is a lock.

v.   locked, lock·ing, locks

v.   tr.

    1. To fasten the lock of: close and lock a drawer.

    2. To shut or make secure with or as if with locks: locked the house.

    3. To sight and follow (a moving target) automatically: locked the enemy fighter in the gun sights.

    4. To aim (a weapon or other device) at a moving target so as to follow it automatically: "The pilot had locked his targeting radar on the slow-moving frigate" (Ed Magnuson).

    5. To equip (a waterway) with locks.

    6. To pass (a vessel) through a lock.

    7. To secure (letterpress type) in a chase or press bed by tightening the quoins.

    8. To fasten (a curved plate) to the cylinder of a rotary press.

    9. To end the processing of (a magnetic tape or disk) in such a way as to deny access to its contents.

    10. To protect (a file) from changes or deletion.

  2. To confine or exclude by or as if by means of a lock: locked the dog in for the night; locked the criminal up in a cell.

  3. To fix in place so that movement or escape is impossible; hold fast: The ship was locked in the ice through the winter. She felt that she had become locked into a binding agreement.

    1. To sight and follow (a moving target) automatically: locked the enemy fighter in the gun sights.

    2. To aim (a weapon or other device) at a moving target so as to follow it automatically: "The pilot had locked his targeting radar on the slow-moving frigate" (Ed Magnuson).

    3. To equip (a waterway) with locks.

    4. To pass (a vessel) through a lock.

    5. To secure (letterpress type) in a chase or press bed by tightening the quoins.

    6. To fasten (a curved plate) to the cylinder of a rotary press.

    7. To end the processing of (a magnetic tape or disk) in such a way as to deny access to its contents.

    8. To protect (a file) from changes or deletion.

  5. To engage and interlock securely so as to be immobile.

  6. To clasp or link firmly; intertwine: locked arms and walked away.

  7. To bind in close struggle or battle: The two dogs were locked in combat.

    1. To equip (a waterway) with locks.

    2. To pass (a vessel) through a lock.

    3. To secure (letterpress type) in a chase or press bed by tightening the quoins.

    4. To fasten (a curved plate) to the cylinder of a rotary press.

    5. To end the processing of (a magnetic tape or disk) in such a way as to deny access to its contents.

    6. To protect (a file) from changes or deletion.

  9. Printing

    1. To secure (letterpress type) in a chase or press bed by tightening the quoins.

    2. To fasten (a curved plate) to the cylinder of a rotary press.

    3. To end the processing of (a magnetic tape or disk) in such a way as to deny access to its contents.

    4. To protect (a file) from changes or deletion.

  10. To invest (funds) in such a way that they cannot easily be converted into cash.

  11. Computer Science

    1. To end the processing of (a magnetic tape or disk) in such a way as to deny access to its contents.

    2. To protect (a file) from changes or deletion.

v.   intr.

  1. To become fastened by or as if by means of a lock: The door locks automatically when shut.

  2. To become entangled; interlock.

  3. To become rigid or immobile: The mechanism tends to lock in cold weather.

  4. To pass through a lock or locks in a waterway.

Phrasal Verb(s):
lock outTo withhold work from (employees) during a labor dispute.

Idiom(s):
lock hornsTo become embroiled in conflict.

Idiom(s):
lock, stock, and barrelTo the greatest or most complete extent; wholly: an estate that was auctioned off lock, stock, and barrel.

Idiom(s):
under lock and keySecurely locked up.

[Middle English, from Old English loc, bolt, bar.]
lock'a·ble adj.
lock 2   (lŏk)   
n.  

    1. A length or curl of hair; a tress.

    2. The hair of the head. Often used in the plural.

  2. A small wisp or tuft, as of wool or cotton.


[Middle English, from Old English locc.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

lock  (1)
"means of fastening," O.E. loc "bolt, fastening, enclosure," from P.Gmc. *lokom/*lukom (cf. O.N. lok "fastening, lock," Goth. usluks "opening," O.H.G. loh "dungeon," Ger. Loch "opening, hole," Du. luck "shutter, trapdoor"). "The great diversity of meaning in the Teut. words seems to indicate two or more independent but formally identical substantival formations from the root." The river sense is from c.1300, on notion of "barrier, enclosure." Wrestling sense is from 1608. The lock of a firearm (1547) probably so called for its resemblance to a door-latching device. Locksmith first attested 1226. Locker is c.1440, from M.E. lokken. The verb is c.1300, from O.E. lucan "to lock, to close" (class II strong verb; past tense leac, pp. locen). Slang lock horns "fight" is from 1839. Lock-up "detention cell for offenders" is from 1839.

lock  (2)
"tress of hair," from O.E. locc, from P.Gmc. *lukkoz (cf. O.N. lokkr, O.Fris., Du. lok, Ger. Locke "lock of hair"), from PIE *lugnos-, from base *lug- "to bend, to twist" (cf. Gk. lygos "pliant twig, withe," Lith. lugnas "flexible").

safety 
c.1300, from O.Fr. sauvete, earlier salvetet (11c.), from M.L. salvitatem (nom. salvitas) "safety," from L. salvus (see safe). Meaning "trigger-lock on a gun" is attested from 1881. As a N.Amer. football position, first recorded 1881. Safety-pin is from 1857; safety-valve is from 1797; fig. sense recorded from 1818. Safety-net first recorded 1950. Safety-first as an accident-prevention slogan first used in Britain in 1873 (said to be originally from U.S. railroads); widely used on Conservative Party election posters in 1922.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Bible Dictionary

Lock

The Hebrews usually secured their doors by bars of wood or iron (Isa. 45:2; 1 Kings 4:3). These were the locks originally used, and were opened and shut by large keys applied through an opening in the outside (Judg. 3:24). (See KEY.) Lock of hair (Judg. 16:13, 19; Ezek. 8:3; Num. 6:5, etc.).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Idioms & Phrases

lock

In addition to the idioms beginning with lock, also see under lock and key.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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