headlock

[ hed-lok ]

noun

, Wrestling.

1. a hold in which a wrestler locks lock an arm around the opponent's head. heads.

headlock

/ ˈhɛdˌlɒk /

noun

1. a wrestling hold in which a wrestler locks his opponent's head between the crook of his elbow and the side of his body

Word History and Origins

Origin of headlock¹

First recorded in 1900–05; head + lock ¹

Example Sentences

While WWE mostly has a headlock on TV ratings, AEW recently defeated “Raw” in consecutive weeks in the coveted 18-to-49 TV demographic.

From Washington Post

A man who drew a gun and put a protester in a headlock at a “Back The Blue” rally during the peak of police-brutality protests last year openly displayed anti-fascist sympathies, according to a confidential police bulletin circulated months later.

From The Daily Beast

There, in what critics described as an unequal application of justice, a teenager was arrested for taunting police with a doughnut, while a pro-police demonstrator was not arrested after putting a man in a headlock and drawing a gun.

From The Daily Beast

Matt Lincoln, the man who was placed in a headlock, told The Daily Beast the attack came as a shock.

From The Daily Beast

The last one jumped on me, trying to get me in a headlock, but I wriggled out of it and decked him too.

From The Daily Beast

Sharpton spoke of the moment they had all seen in the video when Pantaleo kept Garner in a headlock despite his pleas.

From The Daily Beast

I ended up bringing him out in a headlock to find the police.

From The Daily Beast

Judging by the success of Duck Dynasty, the decades-long entertainment industry liberalism headlock might be broken.

From The Daily Beast

Moments later, she said, McCullough ran inside and put Karger in a headlock.

From The Daily Beast

Headlock, Elder Stephen,—complains of camp murmuring—reproved, 119.

From Project Gutenberg

Like a flash he whirled on Allerdyce and grabbed a headlock.

From Project Gutenberg

Stan was not sure that he could hold the headlock he had slid down into a strangle grip.

From Project Gutenberg