Meaning & use
drop lock
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountabletechnical
a lock on a canal or river that lowers boats to a lower water level
Grammar: Countable: a drop lock, two drop locks.
Patterns
- a drop lock
- through a drop lock
The canal has a drop lock that takes boats down to the river.
We waited for the drop lock to fill before entering.
nouncountabletechnical
a type of lock that drops into place, used on some doors or gates
Grammar: Countable and often used before another noun: a drop-lock mechanism.
Patterns
- a drop lock
- drop-lock mechanism
The gate has a drop lock that falls shut automatically.
He fitted a drop lock to the shed door for extra security.
Word forms
| plural | drop locks |
|---|
Common combinations
- canal drop lock
- The canal drop lock was built in the nineteenth century.
- drop-lock mechanism
- The drop-lock mechanism keeps the door closed.
- pass through a drop lock
- Boats pass through a drop lock slowly.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: drop lock or deadlock?
drop lock vs deadlock
'Deadlock' means a situation where no progress is possible; 'drop lock' is a physical lock or canal structure.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'drop lock' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A drop lock lowers boats on a canal, so sentence 0 fits. Sentence 1 confuses it with a car lock, sentence 2 confuses it with 'deadlock', and sentence 3 is unrelated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “drop lock”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.