lockout
lockout Lexical Profile
lockout Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The temporary exclusion of employees from a workplace by their employer during a labor dispute in order to compel them to accept certain terms.
"The basketball season was delayed by several months due to a prolonged lockout over revenue sharing."
An instance of being prevented from entering a building, vehicle, computer account, or system because of a locked mechanism, lost key, or security restriction.
"Three consecutive failed password attempts will trigger an automatic account lockout for thirty minutes."
A safety procedure or mechanism that isolates a machine or piece of equipment from its energy source so it cannot be operated during maintenance or repair.
"Technicians must follow strict lockout protocols before servicing the high-voltage industrial machinery."
Word Nuance & Usage
The one-word noun 'lockout' (as in 'a labor lockout') should be distinguished from the two-word phrasal verb 'lock out' (as in 'to lock out the employees'). In industrial relations, a lockout is initiated by employers to bar workers, whereas a strike is initiated by employees who refuse to work.