lock out
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
To inadvertently prevent (a person, particularly oneself) from entering a place, by leaving it locked.
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
To prevent from accessing a data structure.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
(industrial) To prevent (a person, including oneself) from powering up or turning on a machine when doing so would be dangerous (accomplished with objects such as padlocks or zip ties placed through the switch handle, for example)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “lock out” mean?
To inadvertently prevent (a person, particularly oneself) from entering a place, by leaving it locked.
Is “lock out” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.