(n.) A tuft of hair; a flock or small quantity of wool, hay, or
other like substance; a tress or ringlet of hair.
(n.) Anything that fastens; specifically, a fastening, as for a
door, a lid, a trunk, a drawer, and the like, in which a bolt is moved
by a key so as to hold or to release the thing fastened.
(n.) A fastening together or interlacing; a closing of one thing
upon another; a state of being fixed or immovable.
(n.) A place from which egress is prevented, as by a lock.
(n.) The barrier or works which confine the water of a stream or
canal.
(n.) An inclosure in a canal with gates at each end, used in
raising or lowering boats as they pass from one level to another; --
called also lift lock.
(n.) That part or apparatus of a firearm by which the charge is
exploded; as, a matchlock, flintlock, percussion lock, etc.
(n.) A device for keeping a wheel from turning.
(n.) A grapple in wrestling.
(v. t.) To fasten with a lock, or as with a lock; to make fast; to
prevent free movement of; as, to lock a door, a carriage wheel, a
river, etc.
(v. t.) To prevent ingress or access to, or exit from, by
fastening the lock or locks of; -- often with up; as, to lock or lock
up, a house, jail, room, trunk. etc.
(v. t.) To fasten in or out, or to make secure by means of, or as
with, locks; to confine, or to shut in or out -- often with up; as, to
lock one's self in a room; to lock up the prisoners; to lock up one's
silver; to lock intruders out of the house; to lock money into a vault;
to lock a child in one's arms; to lock a secret in one's breast.
(v. t.) To link together; to clasp closely; as, to lock arms.
(v. t.) To furnish with locks; also, to raise or lower (a boat) in
a lock.
(v. t.) To seize, as the sword arm of an antagonist, by turning
the left arm around it, to disarm him.
(v. i.) To become fast, as by means of a lock or by interlacing;
as, the door locks close.
