oarlock

American  

[awr-lok, ohr-] / ˈɔrˌlɒk, ˈoʊr- /

noun

1. any of various devices providing a pivot for an oar in rowing, especially a swiveling, crutchlike or ringlike metal device projecting above a gunwale.

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oarlock British  

/ ˈɔːˌlɒk /

noun

1. Also called: rowlock.  a swivelling device attached to the gunwale of a boat that holds an oar in place and acts as a fulcrum during rowing

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Etymology

Origin of oarlock

before 1100; Middle English orlok, Old English ārloc. See oar, lock ¹

Explanation

An oarlock is a device that attaches an oar to the side of a rowboat. Most oarlocks are built into the sides of the boat, and they make rowing much easier. You're less likely to lose an oar if your boat has oarlocks, and they also provide a base or fulcrum for the oars. On a racing boat, the oarlocks are especially designed for ease of moving the oar, while the oarlocks on your old metal dinghy are likely to be simpler. In either case, they can be made of metal, wood, or plastic, and are called "rowlocks" or "spurs" in the UK and "gates" in Australia.

Example Sentences

"We were standing about a little bit after we put the oars in the oarlock," Moch explained to me the year before he died.

From Slate • Jul. 23, 2012

Just before the start, though, an oarlock broke in Washington's boat, deep-sixing the race.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2011

He turned his face to the water, fiddling with his oarlock so the others would not see.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

I dropped it in an oarlock and pulled as hard as I could, meaning to move the lifeboat away.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

I felt with my hands and found the closest oarlock.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel