Headlocks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of hold in wrestling where one competitor secures the opponent's head under an arm while controlling their body
2. A maneuver in combat sports involving trapping an opponent's head in an armlock position, restricting their movement
3. A grappling technique used to gain control over an opponent by locking their head in place with one arm while applying pressure

Etymology: "Headlocks" is simply the plural of "headlock", a noun for a wrestling hold in which one wrestler clamps an opponent's head under an arm. The word is a plain compound of "head" and "lock", the older sense of "lock" being a grip or hold, as in wrestling, rather than a fastening for a door. Put together, the two parts describe the move exactly: a lock applied to the head.