lockout

[lok-out]

noun

1. the temporary closing of a business or the refusal by an employer to allow employees to come to work until they accept the employer's terms.

lockout

1. The withholding of work from employees and closing down of a plant by an employer during a labor dispute.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lockout¹

First recorded in 1850–55; noun use of verb phrase lock out

Example Sentences

The airline has also implemented a lockout, suspending operations until a resolution is reached.

From Salon

Whether they can do a good job of deterring a lockout, well, that might be a whole other ballgame.

From Los Angeles Times

If the owners insist on pushing a salary cap, a lockout almost certainly would follow.

From Los Angeles Times

That would be great for L.A. and New York, and for Fox, but that also would make a lockout after the 2026 season even more likely than it already is.

From Los Angeles Times

The owners locked out players that winter, and the wrecking ball hit as soon as the lockout ended.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blockage 
• closure 
• cutoff 
• interruption 
• layoff 
• shutdown 
• walkout