diff --git a/misc.h b/misc.h
index d71c4a864d..f0ae02330b 100644
--- a/misc.h
+++ b/misc.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 #define must_check __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
 
 // types
-// word_t will be 64-bit to read 64-bit elves
 typedef uint64_t qword_t;
 typedef uint32_t dword_t;
 typedef int32_t sdword_t;
@@ -46,4 +45,9 @@ typedef sdword_t int_t;
 #define uint(size) CONCAT3(uint,size,_t)
 #define sint(size) CONCAT3(int,size,_t)
 
+#define lock(thing) pthread_mutex_lock(&(thing)->lock)
+#define unlock(thing) pthread_mutex_unlock(&(thing)->lock)
+#define wait_for(thing, what) pthread_cond_wait(&(thing)->what, &(thing)->lock)
+#define signal(thing, what) pthread_cond_broadcast(&(thing)->what)
+
 #endif