air lock

¹

noun

1. Civil Engineering. an airtight chamber permitting passage to or from a space, as in a caisson, in which the air is kept under pressure.
2. the impedance in the functioning of a pump or a system of piping caused by the presence of an air bubble; vapor lock.

air-lock

²

[ air-lok ]

verb (used with object)

1. to place in or confine to an air lock:

   to air-lock divers before they descend.

Word History and Origins

Origin of air lock¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Origin of air lock²

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Exiting the air lock, we walked over to the source of the pink light.

From Outside Online

Hidden in the corner behind a zip-up air lock was Padilla-Brown’s lab.

From Outside Online

He rose lazily and opened the air lock, then turned and freed her.

From Project Gutenberg

In this suit I step out through the air lock onto the wreck.

From Project Gutenberg

But at that moment Scott cried out sharply, pointing out through the port by the air lock.

From Project Gutenberg

When the pumps in the air lock began pulling out the methane-laden atmosphere, they began to bulge slightly, but not excessively.

From Project Gutenberg

He nodded to Ruiz, who secured the air lock, then adjusted his suit control to force a little pressure into his suit.

From Project Gutenberg