Idioms for lock

Origin of lock

1
before 900; Middle English; Old English loc fastening, bar; cognate with Middle Low German lok, Old High German loh, Old Norse lok a cover, lid, Gothic -luk in usluk opening; akin to Old English lūcan to shut

OTHER WORDS FROM lock

lock·less, adjective self-lock·ing, adjective well-locked, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for lock out (1 of 3)

lock out

verb (tr, adverb)

to prevent from entering by locking a door
to prevent (employees) from working during an industrial dispute, as by closing a factory

noun lockout

the closing of a place of employment by an employer, in order to bring pressure on employees to agree to terms

British Dictionary definitions for lock out (2 of 3)

lock 1
/ (lɒk) /

noun

verb

Derived forms of lock

lockable, adjective

Word Origin for lock

Old English loc; related to Old Norse lok

British Dictionary definitions for lock out (3 of 3)

lock 2
/ (lɒk) /

noun

a strand, curl, or cluster of hair
a tuft or wisp of wool, cotton, etc
(plural) mainly literary hair, esp when curly or fine

Word Origin for lock

Old English loc; related to Old Frisian lok, Old Norse lokkr lock of wool

Idioms and Phrases with lock out (1 of 2)

lock out

1

Keep out, prevent from entering. For example, Karen was so angry at her brother that she locked him out of the house. [Late 1500s] Shakespeare had it in The Comedy of Errors (4:1): “For locking me out of my doors by day.”

2

Withhold work from employees during a labor dispute, as in The company threatened to lock out the strikers permanently. [Mid-1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with lock out (2 of 2)

lock