I. ˈläk noun
Etymology: Middle English lok, from Old English locc; akin to Old High German loc lock, Greek lygos withe, Latin luxus dislocated
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : a tuft, tress, or ringlet of hair
b. plural : the hair of the head
2. : a cohering bunch (as of wool, cotton, or flax) : tuft
3. plural : dreadlock 2
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English lok, from Old English loc; akin to Old High German loh enclosure and perhaps to Old English locc lock of hair
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : a fastening (as for a door) operated by a key or a combination
b. : the mechanism for exploding the charge or cartridge of a firearm
2.
a. : an enclosure (as in a canal) with gates at each end used in raising or lowering boats as they pass from level to level
b. : air lock
3.
a. : a locking or fastening together
b. : an intricate mass of objects impeding each other (as in a traffic jam)
c. : a hold in wrestling secured on one part of the body ; broadly : a controlling hold
his paper…had a lock on a large part of the state — John Corry
4. : one that is assured of success or favorable outcome
III. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to fasten the lock of
b. : to make fast with or as if with a lock
lock up the house
2.
a. : to fasten in or out or to make secure or inaccessible by or as if by means of locks
lock ed himself away from the curious world
lock ed her husband out
b. : to fix in a particular situation or method of operation
a team firmly lock ed in last place
3.
a. : to make fast, motionless, or inflexible especially by the interlacing or interlocking of parts
lock wheels
lock a knee
b. : to hold in a close embrace
c. : to grapple in combat ; also : to bind closely
administration and students were lock ed in conflict
4. : to invest (capital) without assurance of easy convertibility into money
5. : to move or permit to pass (as a ship) by raising or lowering in a lock
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to become locked
b. : to be capable of being locked
2. : interlace , interlock
3. : to go or pass by means of a lock (as in a canal)
• lock·able ˈlä-kə-bəl adjective
•
- lock horns
- lock on