Definition Detail: Gridlock
Just in time for your daily commute, what does "gridlock" technically mean, in the sense of vehicular traffic?
Broken down cars
Extremely heavy traffic
Stuck intersections
No nearby open roads
The answer is "stuck intersections." "Gridlock" isn't an all-purpose term for heavy traffic. It's a situation where cars are stuck in an intersection after a light has turned red, and, consequently, where cars with a green light are also stuck. The grid is locked. See?