airlock
/ˈɛɹlˌɔk/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.63 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A sealed, airtight chamber, such as in a manned spacecraft or submarine, used to provide access to and from the sealed area without allowing air out or water in.
noun
A vestibule, foyer or entranceway with doors to the exterior on one end and doors to the interior on the other, functioning to keep indoor and outdoor air, humidity, and air temperatures separate.
Informal
noun
Alternative form of air lock.
Example Sentences
- "At the head of the machine, we are shown the airlock through which people have to pass to work on the cutting head, as it operates under pressure to prevent leakages into the tunnel."
- "Delighted by the unexpected two-pelt bonus, he airlocked the meat. Wookiee tasted oily and foul."
- "I'm glad I hid it when I arrived on board because I'm pretty sure Skylar would've airlocked it along with my trusty cardigan and my dirty sneakers if she found them."
- "I think he'd airlock me if he knew my real feelings."
- "[…]cosmetics manufacturing enterprises do not want to have wholesalers standing in the middle to mark up prices of their products, and this has in fact affected the competitiveness of the manufacturers and airlocked the manufacturers from consumer dynamics."