air lock

¹ American  

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.

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air-lock ² American  

[air-lok] / ˈɛərˌlɒk /

verb (used with object)

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

   to air-lock divers before they descend.

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Etymology

Origin of air lock¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Origin of air-lock²

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Customers still experiencing ongoing problems as isolated issues were likely to be affected by an air lock, SWW said, and those affected should contact it.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2025

Do you need to wash everything, wear gloves, and/or create a makeshift air lock where the Instacart delivery person can drop your bags?

From Slate • Mar. 18, 2020

It deflated enough to allow Mr. Leonov to enter the capsule’s air lock headfirst, but the change in pressure left him at risk of decompression sickness.

From Washington Post • Oct. 12, 2019

After three attempts at clearing the air lock, I got my engine going and made it through.

From The Guardian • Nov. 4, 2018

Then the outer door would unlock itself and slide open, revealing a steel-reinforced air lock about the size of a shower stall.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline