Lock - English meaning

noun

A long rigid piece of wood, metal, or similar material, typically used as an obstruction, fastening, or weapon.

Usage examples:

An iron bar

verb

Fasten (something, especially a door or window) with a bar or bars.

Usage examples:

She bolted and barred the door

preposition

Except for.

Usage examples:

His kids were all gone now, bar one

noun

A bar that slides into a socket to fasten a door or window.

Usage examples:

He reached through the hole in the door and slid the bolt on the inside.

verb

Fasten (a door or window) with a bar that slides into a socket.

Usage examples:

All the doors were locked and bolted

verb

(of a horse or other animal) run away suddenly, typically from fear.

Usage examples:

The horses shied and bolted

verb

Intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped).

Usage examples:

She threw the bottle into the air and caught it again

noun

An act of catching something, typically a ball.

Usage examples:

I saw myself fumbling easy catches and looking clumsy.

verb

Take hold of so as to seize or stop the motion of

noun

A series of linked metal rings used for fastening or securing something, or for pulling loads.

Usage examples:

He slid the bolts on the front door and put the safety chain across

verb

Fasten or secure with a chain.

Usage examples:

She chained her bicycle to the railings

noun

A length of metal rings that are connected together and used for fastening or supporting, and in machinery

Usage examples:

She looped the chain around her bike and locked it to the fence., mary wore a silver chain around h…

verb

Grasp (something) tightly with one's hand.

Usage examples:

He clasped her arm

noun

A device with interlocking parts used for fastening things together.

Usage examples:

A gold bracelet with a turquoise clasp

verb

To hold someone or something firmly in your hands or arms

Usage examples:

He clasped the vase, afraid he would drop it., she had a firm clasp on her daughter’s hand.

verb

Join or merge to form a single unit or substance.

Usage examples:

Combine the flour with the margarine and salt

noun

A group of people or companies acting together for a commercial purpose.

Usage examples:

One of the world's biggest food and personal products combines

verb

Harvest (a crop) by means of a combine harvester.

Usage examples:

He combined ten acres of linseed

verb

Bring together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established.

Usage examples:

The electrodes were connected to a recording device

verb

To join together two things, or to be joined together

Usage examples:

[ i ] the printer connects to the computer., [ t ] a ferry connects the island to the mainland., [ …

verb

To join two or more pieces of equipment together, or to be joined in this way

Usage examples:

Wireless networks allow you to connect two or more pcs within your own home., connect to sth the ca…

noun

Two people or things of the same sort considered together.

Usage examples:

A couple of girls were playing marbles

verb

Link or combine (something) with something else.

Usage examples:

A sense of hope is coupled with a palpable sense of loss

noun

Two or a few things that are similar or the same, or two or a few people who are in some way connected

Usage examples:

I’m packing a couple of sweaters in case it gets cold., we’re having two couples over for dinner.

verb

Form or cause to form into a curved or spiral shape.

Usage examples:

Her fingers curled round the microphone

noun

Something in the shape of a spiral or coil, especially a lock of hair.

Usage examples:

Her blonde hair was a mass of tangled curls

noun

A piece of hair that grows or has been formed into a curving shape, or something that is the same shape as this

Usage examples:

Tight/loose curls, in curls her hair fell in curls over her shoulders., curls of smoke were rising …

verb

Occupy or attract (someone's interest or attention).

Usage examples:

He ploughed on, trying to outline his plans and engage sutton's attention

adjective

(of a writer or artist) committed to a particular aim or cause.

Usage examples:

He was determined that his writing and thinking should be engagé

verb

Consume all of one's attention or time

verb

Close or do up securely.

Usage examples:

The tunic was fastened with a row of gilt buttons

verb

To make or become firmly attached or closed

Usage examples:

[ i ] this skirt fastens at the back., [ t ] fasten your seatbelt.

verb

To (cause something to) become firmly fixed together, or in position, or closed

Usage examples:

Make sure your seat belt is securely fastened., this shirt fastens at the back.

noun

A device that closes or secures something.

Usage examples:

The fasteners that attach the panel to the wall had corroded

noun

A button or other device for joining together the separate parts of something, esp. clothes

noun

A button, zip, or other device for temporarily joining together the parts of things such as clothes

noun

A lock of hair growing just above the forehead.

Usage examples:

His shaggy forelock of dark hair was sticking up oddly over his shocked eyes.

noun

A piece of hair that grows or falls over the forehead (= part of the face above the eyes) or the part of a horse's mane that falls forward between its ears

noun

A coil or skein of wool, hair, or other material.

Usage examples:

A thick hank of her blonde hair

noun

A slotted hinged metal plate forming part of a fastening for a door or lid, fitted over a loop and secured by a pin or padlock.

Usage examples:

The hut was always locked by a large padlock securing a hasp

verb

Lock (a door, window, or lid) by securing the hasp over the loop of the fastening.

Usage examples:

She went to the window and hasped it

noun

A piece of metal that fastens a box or door, used with a padlock (= lock that can be removed)

verb

(of two or more things) engage with each other by overlapping or by the fitting together of projections and recesses.

Usage examples:

Their fingers interlocked

noun

A device or mechanism for connecting or coordinating the function of different components.

Usage examples:

A safety interlock to stop the blades spinning

verb

To join together firmly, esp. by fitting one part into another

Usage examples:

Interlocking rings

verb

Squeeze or pack tightly into a specified space.

Usage examples:

Four of us were jammed in one compartment

noun

An instance of a thing seizing or becoming stuck.

Usage examples:

Paper jams

verb

A sweet spread or conserve made from fruit and sugar boiled to a thick consistency.

Usage examples:

Strawberry jam

verb

Link; connect.

Usage examples:

The tap was joined to a pipe

noun

A place or line where two or more things are connected or fastened together.

Usage examples:

It was soldered so well that you couldn't see the join

noun

A curved piece of hair that hangs flat against the face on the cheek or forehead (= part of the face above the eyes)

noun

A metal bar with a catch and lever used for fastening a door or gate.

Usage examples:

Lifting the latch, she pushed the gate open

verb

Fasten (a door or gate) with a latch.

Usage examples:

She latched the door carefully

noun

A fastening device for a door or gate

Usage examples:

[ t ] make sure the cabinet door is latched so the cat can’t get in.

noun

A relationship between two things or situations, especially where one affects the other.

Usage examples:

A commission to investigate a link between pollution and forest decline

verb

Make, form, or suggest a connection with or between.

Usage examples:

Rumours that linked his name with judith

noun

A torch of pitch and tow for lighting the way in dark streets.

noun

A curl of hair worn on the temple or forehead.

Usage examples:

Men wore frills and finery and let their hair grow into long lovelocks.

noun

A padlock attached to a bridge by a couple as a symbol of their commitment to each other.

Usage examples:

We put our love lock on the bridge next to the louvre

noun

The sexual partner of a bird or other animal.

Usage examples:

A male bird sings to court a mate

verb

(of animals or birds) come together for breeding; copulate.

Usage examples:

Successful males may mate with many females

verb

Short for checkmate (noun).

noun

Material made of a network of wire or thread.

Usage examples:

Mesh for fishing nets

verb

(of the teeth of a gearwheel) be engaged with another gearwheel.

Usage examples:

One gear meshes with the input gear

noun

A material loosely woven of wire, plastic, or thread so that it has spaces in it like a net

Usage examples:

Pour the liquid through a strainer of fine mesh., [ i ] the teeth of the smaller and larger gears m…

noun

A detachable lock hanging by a pivoted hook on the object fastened.

Usage examples:

A padlock on the garden gate

verb

Secure with a padlock.

Usage examples:

His father had padlocked the gate

noun

A single length of hair, straw, rope, or other material made up of three or more interlaced strands.

Usage examples:

She wore her dark hair in plaits

verb

Archaic term for pleat.

verb

Braid

noun

A lock of hair hanging in a corkscrew-shaped curl.

Usage examples:

Her hair fell loose in ringlets

noun

A curled piece of long hair

Usage examples:

Her hair hung down in ringlets.

noun

A device or substance that is used to join two things together so as to prevent them from coming apart or to prevent anything from passing between them.

Usage examples:

Attach a draught seal to the door itself

verb

Fasten or close securely.

Usage examples:

He folded it, sealed the envelope, and walked to the postbox

noun

A fish-eating aquatic mammal with a streamlined body and feet developed as flippers, that returns to land to breed or rest.

Usage examples:

Others suggest that marine species were derived at least twice, with one lineage leading to the sea…

adjective

Fixed or fastened so as not to give way, become loose, or be lost.

Usage examples:

Check to ensure that all nuts and bolts are secure

verb

Fix or attach (something) firmly so that it cannot be moved or lost.

Usage examples:

Pins secure the handle to the main body

adjective

Free from risk and the threat of change for the worse

Usage examples:

A secure job, people want to feel secure economically., the museum has a large endowment, so its fu…

noun

A small piece or brief extract.

Usage examples:

Snippets of information about the war

noun

A small bit or part of something

Usage examples:

I’ll watch snippets of baseball games, but i just don’t have that much time to sit and watch the wh…

noun

A thin piece of wood that has fallen or been cut off a tree.

Usage examples:

Hayes picked up a fallen stick and twirled it idly between his fingers.

verb

Push a sharp or pointed object into or through (something).

Usage examples:

He stuck his fork into the sausage

verb

A long thin implement resembling a length of wood

verb

Leave (someone) without the means to move from somewhere.

Usage examples:

Two of the firm's trucks are stranded in france

noun

The shore of a sea, lake, or large river.

Usage examples:

A heron glided to rest on a pebbly strand

noun

A single thin length of something such as thread, fibre, or wire, especially as twisted together with others.

Usage examples:

Strands of coloured wool

noun

A long lock of a woman's hair.

Usage examples:

Her golden tresses tumbled about her face

verb

Arrange (a person's hair) into long locks.

noun

A section or curl of someone's long hair

Usage examples:

He lay with his head against the maiden's heart, bound close to her by a tress of her long hair.

noun

A bunch or collection of threads, grass, hair, etc., held or growing together at the base.

Usage examples:

Scrubby tufts of grass

verb

Provide with a tuft or tufts.

Usage examples:

The fringe can be tasselled or tufted

noun

A number of short pieces of something, such as hair or grass, that grow close together or are held together at the base

Usage examples:

He had only a few tufts of hair on his chin.

verb

Come or bring together for a common purpose or action.

Usage examples:

He called on the party to unite

verb

Join or combine

verb

To bring different groups or things together to become one, or to join together to become one

Usage examples:

[ i ] the thirteen american colonies united to form a new nation.

noun

A small thin or twisted bunch, piece, or amount of something.

Usage examples:

Wisps of smoke rose into the air

noun

A wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull.

Usage examples:

The god told him that he would meet a cow that had never borne the weight of a yoke or plough.

verb

Put a yoke on (a pair of animals); couple or attach with or to a yoke.

Usage examples:

A plough drawn by a camel and donkey yoked together

noun

A thing whose name one cannot recall, does not know, or does not wish to specify.

Usage examples:

How much did that yoke set you back?