lock out
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive): 1. To prevent employees from entering their workplace, typically as a tactic by an employer during a labor dispute. - This action is often taken to exert pressure during contract negotiations or a strike.
Usage
The verb "lock out" is used to describe the specific action taken by management. It is typically followed by the object being locked out (e.g., the workers). - The company threatened to lock out the workers if they did not accept the new terms. - During the dispute, the factory owners locked out the entire night shift.
Advanced Usage
- To be locked out: The passive form is very common, describing the state of the employees.
- The union members were locked out of the plant for three weeks.
- Lockout (noun): The event or period of being locked out. This is a compound noun derived from the phrasal verb.
- The lockout lasted for several months, causing financial hardship.
Variants and Related Words
- Lockout (n): The act of locking out or the state of being locked out. This is the standard nominal form.
- The labor dispute resulted in a costly lockout.
Synonyms
- Shut out: To prevent from entering. (Less specific to labor contexts.)
- Exclude: To deny someone access. (General term.)
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Lock in: To secure or confine within a place. (Has a different meaning, often opposite.)
- They decided to lock in the deal with a contract.
- Lock away: To imprison or secure something in a safe place.
- He locked away the confidential documents.
Related Idioms
- Lock horns: To become involved in a conflict or argument.
- The management and the union locked horns over healthcare benefits. (This idiom is thematically related to disputes but does not involve the word "lock out".)
Verb
- prevent employees from working during a strike