lock

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Literary

n. a small group of hairs that grow or hang together.

n. a tuft, tress, or ringlet of hair, wool, or similar fibre.

“She brushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes.”

“The locket contained a single lock of golden hair, preserved perfectly as a memento of a childhood long since passed.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a section of a canal with gates used to raise or lower boats to different water levels.

n. an enclosure in a canal or river with gates at each end, used for raising or lowering vessels between stretches of different water levels.

“The boat waited for the water to rise in the lock before moving to the next part of the canal.”

“Navigating the series of narrow locks required precise steering to avoid damaging the hull against the ancient stone walls of the canal.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal · American English

n. something that is certain to happen or be successful.

n. a person or thing considered a certainty for success or a specific outcome.

“With her experience, she is a lock for the promotion.”

“After the incumbent's scandal, the opposition candidate was considered a lock for the seat, though the final polling suggested a tighter race.”

A2 · Elementary

v. to close something with a lock so that it cannot be opened without a key.

v. to secure a door, container, or vehicle by means of a lock; to make something immovable.

“Don't forget to lock the car when you go into the shop.”

“The protocol requires the last employee on site to lock all external exits and activate the alarm system before departing.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to become fixed in one position and unable to move.

v. to become fixed, motionless, or jammed in a particular position.

“The wheels of the old bicycle started to lock because of the rust.”

“The cold weather caused the steering mechanism to lock, forcing the driver to pull over immediately for safety.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Computing Technical

v. to stop people from changing a file or posting on a website.

v. to restrict access to a digital resource, such as a database record or a forum thread, to prevent concurrent modification or further input.

“The moderator had to lock the discussion because people were being rude.”

“The system will automatically lock the file while it is being edited to prevent data corruption from multiple users.”