yale lock

IPA/ˈjeɪl ˌlɒk/
IPA/ˈjeɪl ˌlɑːk/

yale lock — noun

1. a brand of door lock with a round cylinder shape that opens with a flat key with

1.nounB1
Definition

a brand of door lock with a round cylinder shape that opens with a flat key with a jagged edge; invented by Linus Yale Jr. in the 1800s

Example

Min called a locksmith when the key broke inside the Yale lock of her front door.

Yale lock + of [door]

Gita fitted a new Yale lock on the back door after she lost her keys.

fit + a Yale lock + on [door]

Common collocations
  • fit a Yale lock
  • install a Yale lock
  • Yale lock on the door
  • change the Yale lock
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

Yale lock + on [door/window]

fit + a Yale lock

Yale lock + key

Usage Note

Often treated as a generic term for cylinder pin-tumbler locks, though Yale is a trademarked brand. Used as a countable noun: 'a Yale lock', 'two Yale locks'.

Common Mistakes

I bought a Yale lock key from the shop.
I bought a key for the Yale lock from the shop.
The key is not called a 'Yale lock key'; it is simply a key that fits a Yale lock.
This door has a Yale lock' (for a deadbolt lock).
This door has a Yale lock' (correct for a cylinder-shaped lock)
Not all door locks are Yale locks; the term specifically refers to a pin-tumbler cylinder lock.

Word family

  • Yale
    noun (trademark)B1
  • cylinder lock
    nounB2
  • pin-tumbler lock
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A Yale lock is a specific type of cylinder lock that uses a pin-tumbler mechanism and a flat, jagged key. A cylinder lock is the broader category — any lock that uses a cylindrical core that turns when the correct key is inserted. A deadbolt is a different kind of lock that slides a solid metal bolt into the door frame; unlike a Yale lock, deadbolts do not use a spring-loaded latch and are more resistant to forced entry. A padlock is a portable lock with a U-shaped shackle that can be passed through a hasp or chain — it has no fixed installation on a door. A mortise lock is fitted inside a pocket (mortise) cut into the door edge and typically uses a rectangular bolt rather than a spring-loaded latch. In daily usage, 'Yale lock' is often used generically for any spring-loaded cylinder lock on a door, but strictly it refers to the pin-tumbler mechanism patented by Linus Yale Jr.

Yale lock ↗cylinder lockdeadbolt ↗padlock ↗mortise lock

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fit a Yale lock
  • install a Yale lock
  • change the Yale lock
  • turn the key in the Yale lock

Prepositions

Etymology

Englishtrademark / eponym

Named after Linus Yale Jr. (1821–1868), an American mechanical engineer who invented and patented the modern pin-tumbler cylinder lock in 1848. He co-founded the Yale Lock Manufacturing Company in 1868. The brand name became so widely used for this type of lock that 'Yale lock' is now a common generic term for any cylinder-shaped pin-tumbler door lock.