interlock

[ verb in-ter-lok, in-ter-lok; noun in-ter-lok ]

/ verb ˌɪn tərˈlɒk, ˈɪn tərˌlɒk; noun ˈɪn tərˌlɒk /

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See synonyms for: interlock / interlocking on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to fit into each other, as parts of machinery, so that all action is synchronized.

to interweave or interlace, one with another: The branches of the trees interlock to form a natural archway.

Railroads. (of switches, signals, etc.) to operate together in a prearranged order.

verb (used with object)

to lock one with another.

to fit (parts) together to ensure coordinated action.

Railroads. to arrange (switches, signals, etc.) to effect a predetermined sequence of movement.

noun

the fact or condition of interlocking or of being interlocked.

the existence or an instance of an interlocking directorate.

a device for preventing a mechanism from being set in motion when another mechanism is in such a position that the two operating simultaneously might produce undesirable results.

Also called ignition interlock. a device or system that prevents an automotive engine from starting until the seat belt for any occupied front seat is fastened.

a stretch fabric made with a circular knitting machine having two alternating sets of long and short needles.

Movies. a device for synchronizing the action of a camera and sound recorder.

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Origin of interlock

First recorded in 1625–35; inter- + lock¹

OTHER WORDS FROM interlock

in·ter·lock·er, nounun·in·ter·locked, adjective

Words nearby interlock

interlineate, interlingua, interlingual, interlining, interlink, interlock, interlocking directorate, interlocking directorates, interlocution, interlocutor, interlocutory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use interlock in a sentence

In newborns, the larynx is positioned higher in the throat, and interlocks with the soft palate to create a separation between the food pathway in the mouth and the breathing pathway in the nose.
10 absolutely wild facts about babies|Lauren Leffer|July 2, 2021|Popular-Science
The abstract yet seemingly organic forms dovetail, interlock and sometimes appear to tie themselves into knots.
In the galleries: Tracing a generational progression in abstract art|Mark Jenkins|March 5, 2021|Washington Post
The legs adjust to balance on uneven terrain, and the components interlock.
AbleNook designers offer alternative to disaster-relief tents and trailers|Nina Strochlic|August 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They in turn, as they grow, interlock their boughs, and repeat in a season or two the same process of mutual suffocation.
A Half Century of Conflict - Volume I|Francis Parkman

Both are navigable streams, and their head waters interlock with Grand river, or Washtenong, which flows into lake Michigan.
A New Guide for Emigrants to the West|J. M. Peck
Some of its head waters interlock with those of Tippecanoe, a prominent tributary of the Wabash.
A New Guide for Emigrants to the West|J. M. Peck
Different tariffs may interlock with complicated cross references.
Railroads: Rates and Regulations|William Z. Ripley
On the edges of the barbs are set the barbules, which interlock with those of adjacent barbs, and thus give strength to the vane.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various

British Dictionary definitions for interlock

interlock

verb (ˌɪntəˈlɒk)

to join or be joined firmly, as by a mutual interconnection of parts

noun (ˈɪntəˌlɒk)

the act of interlocking or the state of being interlocked

a device, esp one operated electromechanically, used in a logic circuit or electrical safety system to prevent an activity being initiated unless preceded by certain events

a closely knitted fabric

adjective (ˈɪntəˌlɒk)

(of fabric) closely knitted

Derived forms of interlock

interlocker, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interlock

Origin of interlock

OTHER WORDS FROM interlock

Words nearby interlock

Words related to interlock

How to use interlock in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for interlock

Derived forms of interlock