lock sb out
— phrasal verb with lock uk/lɒk/us/lɑːk/verb
(STOP ENTERING)
B2 to prevent someone from entering a building or room by locking the door:
He had to break into the house because his girlfriend had locked him out.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Locking and bolting
- bar
- batten
- bolt
- handcuff
- latch
- lock
- lock (sth) up
- lock sb in
- lock sth away
- lockable
- love lock
- manacle
- padlock
- shut
- shut sth away
- under lock and key idiom
(STOP WORKING)
usually disapproving to prevent workers from entering their place of work until they agree to particular conditions given by the employer:
Management has threatened to lock out the workforce if they do not accept the proposed changes in working methods.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Industrial action
- abstain
- blackleg
- cooling-off period
- demarcation dispute
- direct action
- job action
- lightning strike
- lock
- lockout
- pay claim
- picket
- picket line
- strike
- strike pay
- strikebreaker
- sympathy
- walk
- walk out
- walkout
- wildcat strike
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