lock out - Definition & Meaning | VisualLang Dictionary

lock out

Present Participle

locking out

Past Tense

locked out

Past Participle

locked out

to prevent someone from entering a place by securing the entrance with a lock

The security guard locked out the group of protesters who were trying to enter the government building.
The family locked their dog out after it chewed up their furniture.
The landlord locked out the tenant who had not paid their rent.
The parents locked out their teenage child who had disobeyed curfew.
The security guard locked out the unauthorized visitors who tried to enter the building.

to unintentionally prevent oneself from entering a place, particularly by leaving the keys inside

The homeowner locked themselves out of their house after leaving the keys on the kitchen counter.
The individual locked themselves out of their car after tossing the keys inside while carrying groceries.
The individual locked themselves out of their apartment after losing track of their keys.
The office worker locked themselves out of their office after leaving their keys in their desk drawer.

to keep data secure by preventing unauthorized access

The operating system locked out the process from accessing the memory-mapped file.
The database administrator locked out the user from accessing the customer database.
The web server locked out the client from accessing the restricted resource.
The firewall locked out the attacker from accessing the internal network.

to prevent one's employees from working until they accept new policies or conditions

The company locked its workers out after they voted down the proposed wage cuts.
The union called for a strike after the company locked out its workers.
The factory owners locked the workers out to prevent them from striking and disrupting production.
The company locked out its employees in an attempt to force them to accept a new healthcare plan.
The restaurant owners locked out their staff after they refused to work longer hours for the same pay.

to exclude someone or something from participation or access

People with criminal records are often locked out of the job market due to discrimination and hiring biases.
The organization locked out its members from attending the annual meeting.
The competition locked the less experienced athletes out from advancing to the next round.
The company locked out its employees from participating in the decision-making process.