# locking

/ˈɫɑkɪŋ/ (US) · /lˈɒkɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/locking
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 2. restricting access to data

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a way to stop two people from changing the same computer file at the same time.

For teachers: the use of a lock or mutex to restrict access to a shared resource or section of code to a single process at a time.

- The database uses row-level locking to prevent errors when two users try to update the same record.
- Improperly implemented locking can lead to deadlocks, where two competing threads are each waiting for the other to release a resource.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun in the context of database management or multi-threaded programming.

### 3. becoming fixed or stuck

verb · CEFR B2

when parts of a machine or body get stuck and cannot move.

For teachers: the state of becoming fixed, rigid, or immovable due to mechanical failure or physical restriction.

- He went to the doctor because he was experiencing painful locking in his knee joint.
- The pilot reported a locking of the landing gear, necessitating an emergency descent and a manual override procedure.

## Examples

- The software uses file locking to prevent data errors.
- Database locking ensures that two travel agents cannot book the last available seat on a flight at the exact same moment.
- In distributed systems, optimistic locking allows multiple users to attempt updates simultaneously, only checking for conflicts at the moment the transaction is committed to the central repository.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.