air-lock

air-lock

The engineer passes through the air-lock to enter the clean room.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A sealed chamber: "air-lock" refers to a chamber with two airtight doors that allows passage between areas of different atmospheric pressures, commonly used in spacecraft, submarines, or laboratories.
    • A blockage in a pipe: In plumbing or engineering, "air-lock" is a pocket of air trapped in a pipe that prevents the flow of liquid.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The astronaut entered the air-lock before stepping onto the lunar surface. (A sealed chamber that equalises pressure between the spacecraft and the vacuum of space.)
    • The plumber said the hot water stopped because of an air-lock in the pipe. (A trapped bubble of air blocking water flow.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to form an air-lock": to develop a blockage due to trapped air.

    • If you don't bleed the radiator, an air-lock may form and stop the heating. (A pocket of air will prevent water circulation.)

  • "to clear an air-lock": to remove trapped air from a system.

    • You can clear the air-lock by opening the bleed valve. (Release the air to restore flow.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Air-locked (adj): sealed or blocked by an air-lock.

    • The pipe is air-locked; no water can pass through. (Blocked by trapped air.)

  • Air-lock chamber (n): another term for the sealed chamber.

    • The submarine's air-lock chamber allows divers to exit underwater. (A specialised compartment for pressure equalisation.)
Synonyms
  • Pressure seal: a device that maintains pressure differences.
  • Bubble: in plumbing, an informal term for a trapped pocket of air.
Phrasal Verbs
  • Lock out (air): to prevent air from entering or escaping.
    • The system is designed to lock out air automatically. (Seal against air intrusion.)
Related Idioms
  • In an air-lock: figuratively, in a situation where progress is halted.
    • The negotiations are in an air-lock; neither side will compromise. (Stuck or blocked, like a pipe with trapped air.)
Additional Note
  • The term "air-lock" is often hyphenated as a compound noun, though in technical contexts it may appear as "airlock" (one word) with the same meaning.