Formal or literary term for shutting, closing, locking, or fastening something. Often used for doors, gates, or containers. Cross-referenced with 差す sense 15, which may indicate a related usage.
See also: 差す
They locked the gate so that no one could enter.
He locked his diary in the desk drawer.
Kana spelling is acceptable, especially when the kanji is considered difficult or the context is informal.
A native verb related to 刺す, with the sense of inserting a bolt or bar to close something. 鎖 is a semantic spelling referring to fastening or locking.