Relocking

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Locking something once more after it has been opened, so that it is secured against entry or use again
2. Fastening a door, case or device a second time following an earlier unlocking so it is closed off once more
3. Securing an object again by turning its lock back into place after it had been released or opened

Etymology: Relocking is simply the present participle and gerund of "relock," which combines the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back," with "lock." The formation is transparent: to relock something is to lock it once more after it has been opened or unlocked. Because "lock" itself goes back to Old English "loc," meaning a bolt or fastening, the verb's core sense has stayed close to its physical origin for centuries, applying to doors, gates, and similar fittings. The "re-" prefix is one of the most productive in English, attaching freely to verbs whenever a speaker needs to express repetition or restoration. That is why "relock" and its forms can be built on demand, without any special coinage behind them. The surprise here is less in the history than in how ordinary the construction is: the word is a plain compound, and its meaning is exactly the sum of its two parts.

Synonyms: bolt, secure, fasten

Antonyms: unlock, unbolt