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rough lock

American  
[ruhf lok] / ˈrʌf ˈlɒk /

noun

  1. a chain, rope, braking shoe, etc., that on a downward slope keeps a wheel from turning, a log from rolling, or a runner from moving; a downhill brake.

    The steep terrain put a harsh strain on the rough lock, but the mules were patient and we got that wagon down all in one piece.

Etymology

Origin of rough lock

First recorded in 1855–60

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.

Silas took out an old "wallet" as he called his pocket-book, and produced from an inner fold a bit of brown paper, in which was a rough lock of white horse-hair.

From Little Men by Alcott, Louisa May

Such a packing box is easily made into a cupboard, and it is not difficult to improvise shelves, hinges, or even a rough lock for the camp larder.

From The Boy Mechanic: Volume 1 700 Things for Boys to Do by Popular Mechanics Co.

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.