A lock setting is a combination of two words, PERM and CANAL. PERM is an abbreviation for permanent wave, which is a hairstyle created by using chemicals or heat to break and reform the bonds of the hair. CANAL is a man-made waterway used for transportation, irrigation, or drainage. Together, these two words form the term 'lock setting, ' which is a type of hairstyle that involves creating waves in the hair with a curling iron or hot comb.