Glossary
Time Lock
A contract that delays the execution of governance actions or admin functions for a fixed window, giving users time to exit if a change is malicious.
A time-lock contract holds a queued transaction for a delay (typically 24–72 hours, sometimes longer) before executing it. Any sensitive action — upgrading an implementation, changing parameters, moving treasury funds — passes through the time-lock so that the community can see it coming.
If the queued action looks malicious or buggy, users have a window to withdraw their funds before it executes. Time-locks are now standard practice for any DAO holding meaningful treasury or for any protocol with upgradeable contracts.