overlock

over·lock
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UK/ˈəʊvəˌlɒk/

noun

A stitch that sews over the edge of one or two pieces of cloth for edging, hemming or seaming.

Similar
merrowoveredgeserge
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounoverlock (plural overlocks)

plural overlocks

  1. businessA stitch that sews over the edge of one or two pieces of cloth for edging, hemming or seaming.
verboverlock (third-person singular simple present overlocks, present participle overlocking, simple past and past participle overlocked)

present singular third person overlocks · participle present overlocking · participle past overlocked · past overlocked

  1. businessTo stitch in this manner.
  2. transitiveTo make the bolt of a lock go too far.

    The way to open it, then, is to turn the key the other way, as if to overlock the bolt […]

    1857, Thomas Stewart Traill, The Encyclopaedia Britannica

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
merrowoveredgeserge

Origin

From over- + lock.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

overlock. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overlock

MLA

“overlock.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overlock. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overlock,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overlock.

Source: overlock on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.