# drzwi zamknięte na kołek



## anthox

Hi all,

I'm reading a short story written in the early 20th century, and I'm trying to envision what a door "zamknięte na kołek" means, exactly:

The narrator is feeling about in darkness and comes across the wall of a small shack ("buda"):

"[Ściana] była drewniana, zbita z niewygładzonych tarcic. Tak namacałem drzwi *zamknięte na kołek*..." (Stefan Grabiński, "Nocleg" (1920)

It seems like "kołek" refers to a small pin or peg. Would this be a small wooden peg fit into a hole, like a kind of bolt? Or a hook-and-eyebolt type arrangement? 

Thanks in advance!


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## zaffy

I would imagine something like this. However, instead of that metal hook going through the loop, there would be a wooden peg (kołek), inserted vertically.


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## anthox

Thank you! That's more or less what I imagined.


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## jasio

zaffy said:


> I would imagine something like this. However, instead of that metal hook going through the loop, there would be a wooden peg (kołek), inserted vertically.


Actually, the whole "lock" would be wooden, most probably with no metal parts whatsoever, perhaps except for an axis. Poor, simple and unsofisticated.


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## anthox

jasio said:


> Actually, the whole "lock" would be wooden, most probably with no metal parts whatsoever, perhaps except for an axis. Poor, simple and unsofisticated.



Perhaps something like this?

https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-old-wooden-door-locks-and-wooden-latch-526528414.jpg

I tried to post the pic here but it's too large.


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## zaffy

No, because it's not a "kołek".

These are "kołeks".    So you need to imagine the door lock from #2 immobilised with such a thing, going through that metal loop.


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## jasio

zaffy said:


> These are "kołeks".    So you need to imagine the door lock from #2 immobilised with such a thing, going through that metal loop.


Define "kołek" then. ;-)

Actually, the word can mean quite a broad range of objects of various shapes and sizes, depending on context. Nowadays it does not even have to be wooden. Just ask Google. ;-)

The lock on drzwi zamknięte na kołek is actually quite complex, even if it were made of wood. Probably the simplest possible wooden lock is here: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



except that the actual door is missing. But still, you can imagine, how it worked: the door cannot open towards the inside because of the door frame, and it cannot open outside either because of the wooden part blocking it. The lock cannot open by itself because it's balanced (though it's not mandatory) and because of the pressure from the door. Once you twist the lock, the door is unlocked.

And yes - I've seen this rudimentary type of lock made of short, round, sometimes even unbarked pieces of wood - fragments of a branch, actually -  which would perfectly meet any definition of "kołek".

It used to be quite common for its simplicity, and is exactly the type of lock which comes to my mind when I hear "drzwi zamknięte na kołek".


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## zaffy

jasio said:


> Define "kołek" then. ;-)



Well, maybe it's just me but 'kołek' by definition is cylindrical, and I believe its name might come from "koło". 

Kołek – Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia


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## jasio

zaffy said:


> Well, maybe it's just me but 'kołek' by definition is cylindrical, and I believe its name might come from "koło".


You're roughly right. But add "roughly" to your definition. Even on your own photo she actual shape is closer to a prism than to a cylinder. ;-) According to kołek – Wikisłownik, wolny słownik wielojęzyczny, virtually any roughly processed, oblong shape should do. ;-)


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