Other forms: locked out; locking out; locks out
When companies lock out workers, they make it impossible for them to do their jobs, usually for a short period of time. Employers do this as a reaction to a strike or while a contract is being negotiated.
Certain employers will lock out people who work for them as a way to control the terms of their employment. For example, workers might bargain for better pay or benefits, but if their bosses lock them out they can't earn money and will often settle for less pay in order to get back to work faster. The use of the verb lock out dates from the 1850's.