Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Origin: mortise 'hole made for a part to fit into' (14-21 centuries), from Old French, probably from Arabic murtaj 'locked'

mortise lock

 noun
     
Related topics: Daily Life, Technology
mortise lock [countable] British English
DT a strong lock that fits into a hole cut in the edge of a door [= dead bolt American English]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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