n. the act of making a file or other piece of data inaccessible

n. a mechanism that detonates the charge of a gun

n. a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed

n. any wrestling hold in which some part of the opponent's body is twisted or pressured

n. enclosure consisting of a section of canal that can be closed to control the water level; used to raise or lower vessels that pass through it

n. a restraint incorporated into the ignition switch to prevent the use of a vehicle by persons who do not have the key

n. a strand or cluster of hair

v. change the attributes of a file in order to make the information inaccessible

v. fasten with a lock; "lock the bike to the fence"

v. become rigid or immoveable; "The therapist noticed that the patient's knees tended to lock in this exercise"

v. build locks in order to facilitate the navigation of vessels

v. become engaged or intermeshed with one another; "They were locked in embrace"

v. hold in a locking position; "He locked his hands around her neck"

v. keep engaged; "engaged the gears"

n. a gate upstream from a lock or canal that is used to control the flow of water at the upper end

n. a catch for locking a door

n. catch for fastening a door or gate; a bar that can be lowered or slid into a groove

n. a device (generally used by carpenters) that holds things firmly together

n. (dentistry) the normal spatial relation of the teeth when the jaws are closed

n. a fastener for a door or lid; a hinged metal plate is fitted over a staple and is locked with a pin or padlock

n. an embankment that is built in order to prevent a river from overflowing

n. the act of grasping; "he released his clasp on my arm"; "he has a strong grip for an old man"; "she kept a firm hold on the railing"

n. a gate upstream from a lock or canal that is used to control the flow of water at the upper end

n. a poetic term for a shore (as the area periodically covered and uncovered by the tides)

n. a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair

n. a very slender natural or synthetic fiber

v. fill or stop up; "Can you close the cracks with caulking?"

v. connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces; "Can you connect the two loudspeakers?"; "Tie the ropes together"; "Link arms"

v. mix together different elements; "The colors blend well"

v. join together so as to form new genetic combinations; "splice genes"

v. follow through or carry out a plan without deviation; "They adhered to their plan"

v. make contact or come together; "The two roads join here"

v. link with or as with a yoke; "yoke the oxen together"

v. requisition forcibly, as of enemy property; "the estate was sequestered"

v. lock up or confine, in or as in a jail; "The suspects were imprisoned without trial"; "the murderer was incarcerated for the rest of his life"

v. make lacework by knotting or looping

v. make a loop in; "loop a rope"

v. hold firmly and tightly

v. cause to stop operating by disengaging a switch; "Turn off the stereo, please"; "cut the engine"; "turn out the lights"

v. irritate; "Her childish behavior really get to me"; "His lying really gets me"

v. request the participation or presence of; "The organizers invite submissions of papers for the conference"

v. put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose; "use your head!"; "we only use Spanish at home"; "I can't use this tool"; "Apply a magnetic field here"; "This thinking was applied to many projects"; "How do you utilize this tool?"; "I apply this rule to get good results"; "use the plastic bags to store the food"; "He doesn't know how to use a computer"

v. remove surgically; "amputate limbs"

v. to come or go into; "the boat entered an area of shallow marshes"

v. cause to leave; "The teacher took the children out of the classroom"

v. shift the position or location of, as for business, legal, educational, or military purposes; "He removed his children to the countryside"; "Remove the troops to the forest surrounding the city"; "remove a case to another court"

v. lift and reset in another soil or situation; "Transplant the young rice plants"

v. be transplantable; "These delicate plants do not transplant easily"

v. put into commission; equip for service; of ships

v. enter into a contractual arrangement

v. hire for work or assistance; "engage aid, help, services, or support"

v. hold under a lease or rental agreement; of goods and services

v. undo the locking of a file in order to make the information accessible again

v. open the lock of; "unlock the door"

v. become unlocked; "The door unlocked from the inside"

v. become unlocked; "The door unlocked from the inside"

v. release, as from one's grip; "Let go of the door handle, please!"; "relinquish your grip on the rope--you won't fall"

v. release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles; "I want to disengage myself from his influence"; "disengage the gears"

v. release, as from one's grip; "Let go of the door handle, please!"; "relinquish your grip on the rope--you won't fall"