Lockout

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A situation in which an employer prevents employees from working until they agree to certain conditions, or a mechanism that prevents operation or access to something until a code or key is provided
2. A condition where an employer halts employees from working to negotiate terms, or a device that restricts access or operation until appropriate credentials are supplied
3. An event where laborers are barred from the workplace by management to enforce negotiations, or a security measure that denies entry or functionality until a correct key or code is entered

Etymology: The term emerged in the context of labor relations during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when industrial disputes between workers and employers became more organized and frequent. A lockout referred to a tactic used by employers to prevent workers from entering the workplace during a strike or labor disagreement, effectively "locking out" employees until they agreed to certain terms. This strategic denial of access to the workplace was a countermeasure to strikes, which involved workers refusing to work as a form of protest. The word combines "lock," meaning to fasten or secure something, with "out," indicating exclusion or removal from a place. The compound thus literally describes the act of locking something out, in this case, people rather than objects. While the verb "to lock out" existed earlier in various literal senses, the noun form specifically tied to labor disputes gained currency in English around the late 1800s. Its usage reflects a shift from a purely physical action—locking a door or gate—to a socio-economic strategy within industrial relations. The concept encapsulates both the physical act of barring entry and the broader power dynamics between employers and workers. Over time, the term has extended metaphorically to describe exclusion in various contexts beyond labor, but its roots are firmly anchored in the history of industrial conflict.

Synonyms: shutdown, closure