airlock
Britishnoun
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a bubble in a pipe causing an obstruction or stoppage to the flow
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an airtight chamber with regulated air pressure used to gain access to a space that has air under pressure
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.
Some areas looked pixelated on the Chromebook, and on the Air I noticed details, like the leaves of a fern or rust on an airlock door, that weren’t as clear on the others.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026
Once the external gate of the airlock had opened, it was reported the taxi drove off down the road past reporters.
From BBC • Aug. 21, 2025
Due to the lack of an airlock on the Crew Dragon, the 13-foot-wide capsule will be depressurized and exposed to space during the walk.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2024
A 3-liter glass jar with an airlock lid and ceramic weights will allow you to ferment small quantities of vegetables.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023
Beck, Johanssen, and Vogel squeezed into the MAV airlock.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.