- lock
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 fastening deviceADJECTIVE▪ combination, cylinder, deadbolt (esp. AmE), mortise, Yale™ (BrE)▪
The hotels replaced their mortise locks on guest rooms with magnetic card readers.
▪ electronic▪ safety▪Most cars are now fitted with child safety locks on the back doors.
▪safety locks for handguns
▪ gun (AmE), trigger▪trigger locks for guns
▪ bicycle, bike (informal)▪ door, windowVERB + LOCK▪ fit▪We had new locks fitted after the burglary.
▪ break, force, pick▪ open, turn▪He turned the lock and pushed the door open.
▪ check▪She ran around the house, checking all the locks
PHRASES▪ insert the key in the lock, turn the key in the lock▪ under lock and key▪Prisoners are kept under lock and key 24 hours a day.
2 small bunch of hairADJECTIVE▪ stray▪She flicked a stray lock of hair off her face.
▪ flowing▪She had long flowing locks and blue eyes.
▪ blonde, chestnut, golden, etc.▪ curly▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}He ran a hand through his curly brown locks.
verb1 close with a lockADVERB▪ carefully▪He carefully locked the door behind him.
▪ automatically, electronically▪The door locks automatically.
VERB + LOCK▪ forget toPHRASES▪ be firmly locked, be securely locked▪ keep sth locked▪Keep your garage securely locked.
2 put sb/sth inside sth that is lockedADVERB▪ away, in▪I was terrified they would lock me in again.
PREPOSITION▪ in▪I locked myself in the bathroom.
PHRASES▪ be safely locked, be securely locked▪All the valuables were safely locked away.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
