lockage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low-frequency technical term)Formal, Technical (Engineering, Maritime, Historical)
Quick answer
What does “lockage” mean?
The process of passing through or the construction/operation of a lock on a canal or river.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The process of passing through or the construction/operation of a lock on a canal or river.
A toll or fee charged for passing through a lock; the water held back or released by a lock; (rarely) a blockage or act of locking.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Usage is equally rare and specialized in both varieties, confined to waterways contexts.
Connotations
Technical/neutral in both. May have slight historical connotations in UK due to extensive canal heritage.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Slightly more likely to be encountered in UK due to preserved canal networks, but remains a specialist term.
Grammar
How to Use “lockage” in a Sentence
The lockage of (the canal) took three hours.Pay the lockage (to the operator).Calculate the total lockage (required for the journey).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lockage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not used as a verb.
American English
- Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not used as a standard adjective. (Possible technical compound: 'lockage-related delays')
American English
- Not used as a standard adjective. (Possible technical compound: 'lockage-related delays')
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In logistics/cost calculations for barge transport: 'The lockage fees added 15% to the total cost.'
Academic
In historical or engineering papers: 'The study analysed 19th-century lockage efficiency on the Erie Canal.'
Everyday
Virtually never used. Might be heard from canal boat enthusiasts: 'We had a slow lockage at Foxton Locks.'
Technical
In maritime engineering/waterway management: 'The new gates reduced average lockage time by 40%.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lockage”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “lockage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lockage”
- Using it to mean 'a state of being locked' (e.g., a door).
- Confusing it with 'leakage'.
- Using it as a common synonym for 'toll' outside of waterways.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, specialized term primarily used in contexts related to canals, rivers, and inland navigation.
Rarely and archaically. Its primary and standard meaning is always connected to waterway locks (the structures), not to the act of locking something shut.
'Lockage' is the noun for the overall system, process, or fee. 'Locking' is the verbal noun for the specific act of moving a vessel through a lock. They are often interchangeable, but 'lockage' is more formal and encompasses broader concepts (like fees).
It is pronounced LOCK-ij. The stress is on the first syllable, and the '-age' sounds like the '-age' in 'village' or 'passage'.
The process of passing through or the construction/operation of a lock on a canal or river.
Lockage is usually formal, technical (engineering, maritime, historical) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. It is a technical term and does not feature in idiomatic expressions.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of LOCK + AGE (as in 'passage'). It's the 'passage through a lock' or the 'fee for a lock's usage'.
Conceptual Metaphor
WATERWAYS ARE ROADS (lockage as a toll booth or a traffic junction on a water road).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you most likely encounter the word 'lockage'?