What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Lock vs Luck - What's the difference?

lock | luck |

In intransitive terms the difference between lock and luck

is that lock is to be capable of becoming fastened in place while luck is to rely on luck.

In transitive terms the difference between lock and luck

is that lock is to intertwine or dovetail while luck is to carry out relying on luck.

lock

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • Something used for fastening, which can only be opened with a key or combination.
  • * 1883 , (Robert Louis Stevenson), (Treasure Island)
  • "Give me the key," said my mother; and though the lock was very stiff, she had turned it and thrown back the lid in a twinkling.
  • *, chapter=13
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=We tiptoed into the house, up the stairs and along the hall into the room where the Professor had been spending so much of his time. 'Twas locked, of course, but the Deacon man got a big bunch of keys out of his pocket and commenced to putter with the lock .}}
  • A mutex or other token restricting access to a resource.
  • * 2005 , Karl Kopper, The Linux Enterprise Cluster
  • the application must first acquire a lock on a file or a portion of a file before reading data and modifying it.
  • A segment of a canal or other waterway enclosed by gates, used for raising and lowering boats between levels.
  • * 1846 , (William Makepeace Thackeray), Notes of a Journey from Cornhill to Grand Cairo
  • Here the canal came to a check, ending abruptly with a large lock .
  • The firing mechanism of a gun.
  • * 1837 , (Charles Dickens), (The Pickwick Papers)
  • "I never saw such a gun in my life," replied poor Winkle, looking at the lock , as if that would do any good.
  • Complete control over a situation.
  • * 2003 , (Charley Rosen), The Wizard of Odds
  • Even though he had not yet done so, Jack felt he had a lock on the game.
  • Something sure to be a success.
  • * 2004 , (Avery Corman), A perfect divorce
  • Brian thinks she's a lock to get a scholarship somewhere.
  • (label) A player in the scrum behind the front row, usually the tallest members of the team.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=Septembe 24, author=Ben Dirs, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania , passage=Ashton only had to wait three minutes for his second try, lock Louis Deacon setting it up with a rollocking line-break, before Romania got on the scoreboard courtesy of a penalty from fly-half Marin Danut Dumbrava. }}
  • A fastening together or interlacing; a closing of one thing upon another; a state of being fixed or immovable.
  • * (Thomas De Quincey) (1785-1859)
  • Albemarle Street closed by a lock of carriages
  • A place from which egress is prevented, as by a lock.
  • (Dryden)
  • A device for keeping a wheel from turning.
  • A grapple in wrestling.
  • (Milton)
    Derived terms
    * alcolock * ankle lock * anti-lock * caps lock * flash lock * flat lock * flintlock * genlock * gridlock * leglock * liplock * lockfast * lock time * * lockbox * lockmaster * locknote * locksmithing * lockstep * matchlock * num lock * overlock * padlock * picklock * scroll lock * staircase lock * tide lock * time lock

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To become fastened in place.
  • *, chapter=13
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=We tiptoed into the house, up the stairs and along the hall into the room where the Professor had been spending so much of his time. 'Twas locked , of course, but the Deacon man got a big bunch of keys out of his pocket and commenced to putter with the lock.}}
  • (label) To fasten with a lock.
  • (label) To be capable of becoming fastened in place.
  • (label) To intertwine or dovetail.
  • To freeze one's body or a part thereof in place.
  • To furnish (a canal) with locks.
  • To raise or lower (a boat) in a lock.
  • Antonyms
    * unlock
    Derived terms
    * lock and load * lock horns * lock in * lock lips * lock on * lock out * lock up * lockable * relock * unlockable

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m). Cognate with (etyl) (m) (whence (etyl) (m)), (etyl) (m). It has been theorised that the word may be related to the (etyl) verb in its ancient meaning to curb .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • tuft or length of hair
  • *
  • If I consent to burn them, will you promise faithfully neither to send nor receive a letter again, nor a book (for I perceive you have sent him books), nor locks of hair, nor rings, nor playthings?
    Derived terms
    * daglock * elflock * forelock * goldilocks * sidelock

    luck

    English

    Noun

    (-)
  • Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence.
  • The raffle is just a matter of luck .
    Sometimes it takes a bit of luck to get success.
    I couldn't believe my luck when I found a fifty dollar bill on the street.
    Gilbert had some bad luck yesterday — he got pick-pocketed and lost fifty dollars.
  • A superstitious feeling that brings fortune or success.
  • He blew on the dice for luck .
    I wish you lots of luck for the exam tomorrow.
  • success
  • I tried for ages to find a pair of blue suede shoes, but didn't have any luck .
    He has a lot of luck with the ladies, perhaps it is because of his new motorbike.

    Synonyms

    * fortune (both senses)

    Derived terms

    * bad luck * down on one's luck * good luck * luckless * lucky * lucky break * luck out * luck of the draw * luck of the Irish * luck upon * push one's luck * ride one's luck * run of bad luck * sheer luck * streak of good luck

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To succeed by chance.
  • His plan lucked out.
  • To rely on luck.
  • No plan. We're just to going to have to luck through.
  • To carry out relying on luck.
  • Our plan is to luck it through.
    1000 English basic words