lock
noun
a device for securing a door, gate, lid, drawer, or the like in position when closed, consisting of a bolt or system of bolts propelled and withdrawn by a mechanism operated by a key, dial, etc.
locking
-
present participleof lock.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He added: "Some of those habitats are really important at drawing down and locking away carbon."
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Because it’s done so slowly and fluidly, emphasizing “soft joints” instead of locking out or bracing body parts, it’s low-impact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Back to my question: If I sell $1,000 worth of stock now, wouldn’t I essentially be locking in my gains, just like selling during a market downturn would mean locking in my losses?
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
At around 8 p.m., night shift workers shut down every gallery in South Hall, locking every prisoner inside his cell, including the porter, who sometimes acts as an additional set of eyes and ears.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Only by locking her foot around a leg of the bench did Shirley manage to stay perched.
From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord
