brainlock

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

brain +‎ lock

Noun[edit]

brainlock (uncountable)

  1. (informal) The situation where a person's brain seems to freeze up, preventing them from proceeding.
    • 1991, Air & Space Smithsonian, volume 6, page 78:
      Pilots worry about "brainlock" — that sickening sensation when you pull out of a vertical dive at near 200 mph and have no idea what figure comes next.
    • 2009, Ben Sherwood, The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life:
      Another, more disturbing reason for no-pulls is what skydivers call brainlock. Jumping out of a plane with your heart pounding and stress hormones pumping, it's no surprise that your mind can freeze up for a few seconds.
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