Lock

The Hebrews usually secured their doors by bars of wood or iron (Isa. 45:2; 1 Kings 4:3). These were the locks originally used, and were opened and shut by large keys applied through an opening in the outside (Judg. 3:24). (See KEY.) Lock of hair (Judg. 16:13, 19; Ezek. 8:3; Num. 6:5, etc.).

Where European locks have not been introduced, the locks of eastern houses are usually of wood, and consist of a partly hollow bolt from fourteen inches to two feet long for external doors or gates, or from seven to nine inches for interior doors. The bold passes through a groove in a piece attached to the door into a socket in the door-post.

LOCK. The doors of the ancient Hebrews were secured by bars of wood or iron, though the latter were almost entirely appropriated to the entrance of fortresses, prisons, and towns. Thus we find it mentioned in 1 Kgs 4:13, as something remarkable concerning Bashan that there were threescore great cities having walls and brazen bars. These were almost the only locks known in early times, and they were furnished with a large and clumsy key, which was applied to the bar by pushing the whole arm through an orifice from the outside Cant. Song 5:4. There were also smaller contrivances for inner doors, Jud 3:24, and probably projecting pieces by which to push the bolt with the hand. See Key.

LOCK. The doors of the ancient Hebrews were secured by bars of wood or iron, though the latter were almost entirely appropriated to the entrance of fortresses, prisons, and towns. Thus we find it mentioned in 1 Kgs 4:13, as
something remarkable concerning Bashan that there were threescore great cities having walls and brazen bars. These were almost the only locks known in early times, and they were furnished with a large and clumsy key, which was applied to the bar by pushing the whole arm through an orifice from the outside Cant. Song 5:4. There were also smaller contrivances for inner doors, Jud 3:24, and probably projecting pieces by which to push the bolt with the hand. See Key.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

A tuft of hair; a flock or small quantity of wool, hay, or other like substance; a tress or ringlet of hair. These gray locks, the pursuivants of death. Shak.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. 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.

2. A fastening together or interlacing; a closing of one thing upon another; a state of being fixed or immovable. Albemarle Street closed by a lock of carriages. De Quincey.

3. A place from which egress is prevented, as by a lock. Dryden.

4. The barrier or works which confine the water of a stream or canal.

5. 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.

6. That part or apparatus of a firearm by which the charge is exploded; as, a matchlock, flintlock, percussion lock, etc.

7. A device for keeping a wheel from turning.

8. A grapple in wrestling. Milton. Detector lock, a lock containing a contrivance for showing whether it as has been tampered with. -- Lock bay (Canals), the body of water in a lock chamber. -- Lock chamber, the inclosed space between the gates of a canal lock. -- Lock nut. See Check nut, under Check. -- Lock plate, a plate to which the mechanism of a gunlock is attached. -- Lock rail (Arch.), in ordinary paneled doors, the rail nearest the lock. Lock rand (Masonry), a range of bond stone. Knight. -- Mortise lock, a door lock inserted in a mortise. -- Rim lock, a lock fastened to the face of a door, thus differing from a mortise lock.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. To link together; to clasp closely; as, to lock arms. " Lock hand in hand." Shak.

5. To furnish with locks; also, to raise or lower (a boat) in a lock.

6. To seize, as the sword arm of an antagonist, by turning the left arm around it, to disarm him.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To become fast, as by means of a lock or by interlacing; as, the door locks close. When it locked none might through it pass. Spenser. To lock into, to fit or slide into; as, they lock into each other. Boyle.