lock

1 verb

1 FASTEN SOMETHING (I, T) to fasten something with a lock or be fastened with a lock: Did you lock the car? I can't get the door to lock.

2 PUT STH IN A SAFE PLACE (transitive always + adv/prep) to put something in a safe place and lock the door, lid etc: lock sth up/away/in etc: Joe locked the money in the safe.

3 be locked together/in an embrace if two people are locked together or locked in an embrace, they are holding each other very tightly: The fighters were locked together. | lovers locked in a deep embrace

4 lock arms to join your arms tightly together with someone else: The police locked arms to form a barrier against the protesters.

5 be locked in battle/combat/dispute etc to be involved in a serious argument, fight etc with someone: We found ourselves locked in a costly legal battle.

6 lock horns with sb (over sth) to argue or fight with someone

7 WHEEL/PART OF A MACHINE (I) to become fixed in one position and impossible to move: The wheels suddenly locked.

- lockable adjective lock sb/sth away phrasal verb (T)

1 to put something in a safe place and lock the door, lid etc: We locked all our valuables away before we went on vacation.

2 to put someone in prison

lock sb in phrasal verb (T) to prevent someone from leaving a room or building by locking the door: Help me, somebody - I'm locked in. lock onto sth phrasal verb (T) if a missile locks onto a target, it finds it and follows it closely lock sb out phrasal verb (T)

1 to keep someone out of a place by locking the door: Oh no, I've locked myself out!

2 if employers lock workers out, they do not let them enter their place of work until they accept the employers' conditions for settling a disagreement

-see also: lockout lock up phrasal verb

1 (I, T) to make a building safe by locking the doors, especially at night: lock sth up: Don't forget to lock up the warehouse.

2 (transitive lock something up) to put something in a safe place and lock its door, lid etc

3 (transitive lock someone up) informal

a) to put someone in prison: Rapists should be locked up.

b) often humorous to put someone in a hospital for people who are mentally ill

4 be locked up (in sth) if your money is locked up, you have put it into a business, investment etc and cannot easily move it or change it into cash 1

2 noun

1 ON A DOOR (C) a thing for fastening a door, drawer etc, that you can only open with a key: The rear doors are fitted with childproof locks. | pick a lock (=use something like a pin to open a lock, especially for an illegal purpose)

2 under lock and key

a) kept safely in a box, cupboard etc that is locked: Dad keeps all his liquor under lock and key.

b) kept in a place such as a prison

3 lock, stock, and barrel including every part of something: He moved the whole company, lock, stock, and barrel, to Mexico.

4 HAIR

a) (C) a small bunch of the hair on your head: a stray lock of hair

b) locks (plural) poetic your hair: long flowing locks

5 ON A RIVER ETC (C) a part of a canal (1) or river that is closed off by gates so that the water level can be raised or lowered to move boats up or down a slope

6 IN A FIGHT (C) a hold 2 (7) which wrestlers use to prevent their opponent from moving: a head lock

7 VEHICLE (C, U) especially BrE the degree to which a vehicle's steering wheel can be turned in order to turn the vehicle: on full lock (=turned as far as possible)

8 MACHINE (U) the state of a machine when it is stopped in such a way that it cannot be operated: in the lock position