interlock

American  

[in-ter-lok, in-ter-lok, in-ter-lok] / ˌɪn tərˈlɒk, ˈɪn tərˌlɒk, ˈɪn tərˌlɒk /

verb (used without object)

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

2. to interweave or interlace, one with another.

   The branches of the trees interlock to form a natural archway.

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

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verb (used with object)

1. to lock one with another.

2. to fit (parts) together to ensure coordinated action.

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

noun

1. the fact or condition of interlocking or of being interlocked.

2. the existence or an instance of an interlocking directorate.

3. 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.

4. 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.

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

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

interlock British  

verb

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

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noun

1. the act of interlocking or the state of being interlocked

2. 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

3. a closely knitted fabric

adjective

1. (of fabric) closely knitted

Other Word Forms

• interlocker noun
• uninterlocked adjective

Etymology

Origin of interlock

First recorded in 1625–35; inter- + lock ¹

Example Sentences

Also like MBS and CDS, new financial assets have begun to interlock in odd, hard-to-understand ways with traditional financial products.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

I’m interested in the scripts on the field and off, and the plotlines that interlock.

From Slate • Jan. 30, 2024

The floor in your home resists racking back and forth because the sheets of 3/4-inch sub flooring interlock and are all nailed to the floor joists.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 3, 2023

The two interlock fingers, and soon they are transported into a white room with a bagel floating in the air.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2023

These two debates, about thinking and knowing, interlock because both generations have downplayed the idea that the new science was grounded in a new type of engagement with sensory reality.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• interlace
• interlink
• intertwine