1. trans. To undo the lock of (a door, chest, etc.) by turning the key; to make capable of opening by this means. Also in fig. context.
c. 1400. Langland’s P. Pl., B. XII. 112 (Wright). Which is the cofre of Cristes tresor And clerkes kepe the keyes, To unloken it at hir likyng.
14[?]. Sir Beues (M.), 4119. I rede, that ye on-lok the yate.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 23934. I cam after … and she gan vnlokke a chest.
1530. Palsgr., 768/2. I unlocke a dore or cofer.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 327. Yet hath he keyes wherwith to unlock ye same [sc. city-gates].
1612. Donne, Progr. Soule, 2nd Anniv., 156. Yet Death must usher, and unlocke the doore.
1690. Berlu (title), Treasury of Drugs Unlock’d.
1754. Gray, Progr. Poesy, 92. This can unlock the gates of Joy.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxvi. That leads to the inner court, which I don’t choose to unlock.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., I. xviii. The bard … Who to the awe-struck world unlock’d Elysium’s gates.
1847. C. Brontë, J. Eyre, xvii. I knelt down at and unlocked a trunk.
absol. 1768. Foote, Devil, I. Wks. 1799, III. 247. Unlock, Mrs. Minx! your minion is discovered.
2. To set free by undoing a lock; chiefly fig., to allow to flow or come forth; to make open to all.
c. 1400. Gamelyn, 417. He vnlokked gamelyn both hondes and feete.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1047. Sone, if oght in þin herte elles be loke, Vnlokke it blyue! com of; what seist þou?
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 245. For thee my tuneful Accents will I raise,… Once more unlock for thee the sacred Spring.
1708. Philips, Cyder, II. 6. When the kind early Dew Unlocks th’ embosom’d Odors.
a. 1764. Lloyd, Shakespeare, Poet. Wks. 1774, I. 77. Translation has unlock’d the store, And spread abroad the Grecian lore.
1820. Shelley, Prometh. Unb., III. i. 74. Let hell unlock Its mounded oceans of tempestuous fire.
1884. Times (weekly ed.), 19 Sept., 6/1. Capital, whether public or private, is so very hard to unlock.
b. To give or obtain access to; to bring to light; to display.
1593. Shaks., Lucrece, 16. He the night before … Vnlockt the treasure of his happie state. Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., II. ix. 52. Giue me a key for this, And instantly vnlocke my fortunes here.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. xii. 46. Jesus unlock’t the secrets of her heart, and let in his grace.
1722. Wollaston, Relig. Nat., v. 101. The future actions of free agents are at once all unlocked, and exposed to His view.
1809–14. Wordsw., Excurs., IV. 570. These hoards of truth you can unlock at will.
3. fig. To cause to open or unclose.
1531. Tindale, Exp. 1 John (1537), 5. The doctryne … is the keye, that … locketh and unlocketh the conscience of all synners.
1634. Milton, Comus, 852. She can unlock The clasping charm, and thaw the numming spell.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 214. The small Presents … unlock’d the man’s breast, and drew out the whole secret.
1792. Wordsw., Descrip. Sketches, 627. Mournful measures … Unlocking bleeding Thought’s ‘memorial cell.’
1822. Byron, Werner, I. i. 306. Wine he shall have; if that unlock him not, I shall not sleep.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, xlv. I know you have a key to unlock hearts.
b. To explain, provide a key to (something obscure).
1636. K. Long, trans. Barclay (title-p.), Argenis, or the Loves of Polyarchus and Argenis,… with a key Præfixed to vnlock the whole Story.
1690. T. Burnet, Theory Earth, III. 21. Such a key as this…, that does so easily unlock this hard passage, and makes it intelligible.
1879. S. C. Bartlett, Egypt to Pal., iii. 51. To unlock and read a tongue of which … not even the nature of the language was known.
4. To open, or cause to open, by physical action; to cause to separate or part.
c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. (1823), LI. vii. Unlock my lipps, shut up with sinnfull shame.
1637. Cowley, Sylva, Verses on Virgin. The breath gives sparing kisses, nor with powre Unlocks the Virgin bosome of the Flowre.
1694. Salmon, Bate’s Dispens., 269/1. That sulphurous Tincture is better able to unlock, or open the Bodies of the Ingredients.
1707. Mortimer, Husb., 56. [Clay-lands] hardning with the Sun and Wind, till they are unlocked by industry.
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, IV. ii. Unlock your jaws, sirrah.
1802. J. Baillie, 2nd Pt. Ethwald, II. v. A brawny ruffian, whose firm clenched gripe No struggles can unlock.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. x. 65. The discharge seemed to unlock the clouds above us.
b. To undo or unfasten by some mechanical operation, or by force.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., V. vi. 29. I like thy armour well, Ile frush it and vnlocke the riuets all.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxii. § 16. He must Vn-lock and Loosen the Form.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., Detents, in a Clock, are those stops, which … lock and unlock the Clock in striking.
1757. W. Wilkie, Epigoniad, II. 43. The hero … His mail unlock’d; and loos’d the golden chains.
1847. Infantry Man. (1854), 109. The sword is … unlocked by the thumb and forefinger.
1892. A. Oldfield, Max. Typog., viii. Some compositors seem to drive up quoins as if they thought the form would never have to be unlocked again.
c. To free from being fixed or immovable.
1735. Arbuthnot, Aliments, 97. The Power of a Lixivium … to unlock the Salts that are entangled in the viscid Juices.
1798. Wordsw., Anecd. for Fathers, 53. Then did the boy his tongue unlock.
1819. Scott, Noble Moringer, xxxii. Nor golden meed nor garment gay, unlocks his heavy tongue.
1902. Brit. Med. Jrnl., 12 April, 879. At first he could unlock the knee easily.
5. intr. To become unlocked.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XI. i. 571. When he came to the chamber … the dores of yron vnlocked and vnbolted.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), IV. 396. I heard her lady’s door … unbar, unbolt, unlock, and open.
1804. Europ. Mag., XLV. 13/1. They had but just time to make this arrangement, when the door unlocked.
Hence Unlocked ppl. a.1; Unlocker.
1649. trans. Warn. Jac. Beem, xxv. 17. Onely the holy spirit is the opener and unlocker.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 399. Once more the unlocked earth receives the plough.
