belock

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English belouken, bilouken, from Old English belūcan (to lock up, bring to an end), from Proto-West Germanic *bilūkan (to lock up), equivalent to be- +‎ lock. Cognate with Middle Low German belûken (to close, secure), Middle High German belūchen, belouchen (to enclose, shut in), obsolete German belochen (lock up, lock in, include).

Verb

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belock (third-person singular simple present belocks, present participle belocking, simple past and past participle belocked)

  1. (archaic, transitive) To lock up or lock in place; hold tight; fasten.
    • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
      This is the hand, which, with a vow'd contract, was fast belocked in thine.
    • 1814, H. Finn, “The Cathedral”, in The Lady's Monthly Museum:
      The brawny mariner belocks the line / Within his horny palm, and to the rude / Timeing of a tuneless lay, the frolic sail / Quickly upclews, and wraps it to the yard.
    • 1843, James Grassie, Legends of the highlands of Scotland, page 50:
      After this manner he reached an eminence called the Allanowr in the vicinity of Strone, and here he observed two figures, reclining in listless langour on the moss; on advancing a little farther he recognised the features of his chieftain's son, his hands belocked in those of a female who was soothing him "as his drooped head sank gradually low!"

Synonyms

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Anagrams

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