lock-keeper
Definition
Noun: - A person who is responsible for operating and maintaining a lock (a section of a canal or waterway with gates to raise or lower boats between different water levels). The lock-keeper controls the flow of water and the opening and closing of the lock gates to allow vessels to pass safely.
Usage Examples
- (The person in charge of the canal lock signalled to the sailor.)
- (The job involves expertise in handling lock equipment.)
Advanced Usage
- "lock-keeper's cottage": a small house near the lock where the lock-keeper lives or works.
- The old lock-keeper's cottage has been converted into a museum. (The residence of the lock operator is now a historic exhibit.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lock (n): a section of a canal or river with gates to control water levels.
- The boat waited at the lock for the water to rise. (The canal structure used for changing water levels.)
- Keeper (n): a person who guards, manages, or takes care of something.
- The zoo keeper feeds the animals every morning. (A caretaker or guardian.)
Synonyms
- Lock operator: a person who controls a canal lock.
- Canal keeper: a person who oversees a canal, including its locks.
Related Idioms
- There are no common idioms directly related to "lock-keeper." However, the word "lock" appears in idioms such as "lock, stock, and barrel" (entirely, completely), but this does not directly involve the lock-keeper role.